


Avatar: Rites of Passage

by CanadaCowboy



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-13
Updated: 2020-05-24
Packaged: 2021-03-02 23:33:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 33
Words: 378,470
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24165172
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CanadaCowboy/pseuds/CanadaCowboy
Summary: Each character grows up with a set of experiences unique to themselves. Watch each person describe what went through their minds and how they changed as they reacted to the world. These are their stories, these are their rites of passage.
Comments: 2
Kudos: 21





	1. Roku

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: Michael DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko own Avatar.

The warmth from the yellow sun trickled down onto the courtyard, tickling the grass and trees as the wind danced gently across. There I stood, on the front steps of my residence, enjoying such a fine day. I could hear the sounds of the wind sailing through the leaves, birds chirping from above, and the voice of my friend calling out to me, "Come on, Roku, are you ready? Don't just be standing there all day!"

I turned my head to the source of the voice, and there he was. Sozin, crown prince to the Fire Nation and my lifelong friend, standing there waiting for me. He half-posed in the courtyard, already with his shirt stripped off. His developing muscles shined as brightly and clearly as the day. "Come on, we'll see who wins the game this time," he stated, brushing a few strands of his neatly trimmed hair away from his eyes. Like the rest of the Fire Nation's inhabitants, Prince Sozin tied back a bit of the hair on the back of his head, except the pin to keep it together was an official royal crest.

I shrugged. "If you insist," I replied, removing my outermost layer and my shoes. Unlike Sozin, I wasn't one to show off like that. I might be from an aristocratic family, but Sozin was royalty. While we were best friends and treated each other like brothers, I still had utmost respect for the one who would soon preside over me. I loosened my red shirt, leaving the top undone, and rolled up my dark brown pant legs. "So, same rules apply as before, yes?" I asked, getting into position across from Sozin.

Sozin nodded, getting into a wider, crouched stance. "Only weapon allowed is fire and first person goes down loses," he explained, his golden orange eyes flashing at me.

I got down into my posture as well. It was a game that most Fire Nation children were aware of: fire wrestling. Instead of using fists and feet, we used our fire bending to attack each other. It was meant to strengthen our fire manipulation abilities and general movements. The first person to lose their balance would lose the game. Throughout our battles, Sozin and I were relatively evenly matched. But given that Sozin often had some trick up his sleeve, predicting his moves was not easy at all.

As soon as that thought left my mind, a hail of fireballs rained down on me. I dodged and leapt as quickly as I could, hoping to avoid them. My eyes alternated from the fire storm to Sozin, whose body moved gracefully through the air, his arms and legs whipping out in rhythm as orange hues shot out his hands and feet. In fire bending, we were taught that offence was the key strategy, and one's strength was in how relentless one was in pursuing their foes. Seeing Sozin in this game alone, I could tell not only was he a master at it, but relied heavily on it to achieve his victory over me.

But wait, Sozin, you forgot one thing. I could fire bend too, and it was fine time that I matched your ferocity. Twisting around, I let another hail of fire go past me, the heat nearly lighting up my skin and almost scorching my clothing. But as I regained balance, I turned to Sozin and unleashed my own barrage of fire. I adhered to the basic steps taught by our mentors, calmly repeating every technique I learned throughout the years as I felt the fire rush through my arms and into the air. An orange wall of projectiles zoomed towards the Fire prince. While I wasn't nearly as competitive as Sozin, I didn't want to ease up either. We were always taught that giving our best effort was the best way to show respect, so for sure I unleashed everything for my best friend.

The flurry of activity continued as we switched positions. While I used to be the one near the steps, it was Sozin who backed towards the building, and I was now in the middle of the courtyard. We were still throwing fire at each other through our punches and kicks. I sent a few larger shots, but Sozin dodged them all with ease, even going so far as playing acrobatics and let one slide past his bare back and into the air. "What else was he up to?" I muttered, urgency churning inside me as my urge to win built up.

As he got back on balance, Sozin kicked out his right leg, letting another large fire ball at me. I was caught slightly off guard, barely dodging the shot as I whipped one arm up to direct the blast away while taking a hop back. There was a tree just behind and slightly to the left of me, so I had to alter my landing a bit. I ended up doing a one-legged stand, barely saving my game. Along with fire bending, we were taught martial arts too, and both Sozin and I had enough skills to balance ourselves in almost any situation. So even though it was an improvised move, it wasn't anything I couldn't handle, right?

But something in Sozin's expression told me he was onto me, as that twinkle in his eye and his mischievous grin made things a bit uncomfortable. I scrambled to get back into position, but it was too late. Sozin did a double spin kick, aiming two fire balls straight at my head. As I tried to dodge, I could feel my balance slipping from me as I tumbled backwards. My bare heel bumped into a tree root and my arms flailed in the air. The only thing I could see as my back tilted was my friend rushing up to me.

But my back never met the ground, as something lodged into my leg, right at the joint behind my knee. I craned my neck to see Sozin standing there, one fist balled up ready to send flames into my face. Dang it, he got me, I thought. But as unpredictable as the shot was, the game ended just as surprisingly when Sozin released his grip and let me crumple to the ground. My body seemed lifeless as it flopped onto the soft green bed below. I lifted my head just in time to see Sozin straighten his body, dropping his arms to the side as he smugly announced, "Looks like I win again, Roku."

I shook my head, my eyes set into the blue above me. Sozin, always the crafty one, made me fall for another one of his tricks again. I knew him my entire life, and still I could never guess where some of his tricks came from. But I couldn't let him get all the credit, right? "Are you kidding? The tree root did all the work!" I retorted, lifting my head and signalling to the brown object embedded into the ground near my foot.

Nonetheless, Sozin held his hand before me. I grabbed it, feeling his strong grip as I was hoisted back to my feet. Today, I genuinely thought the game would be in my favour, but once again I underestimated the brain of my best friend. "Nice one, Sozin," I congratulated him, patting him on the back. Together, we strolled out of the courtyard. It was just another typical day in my life with the Fire Prince, my closest peer throughout my childhood. For us both, we knew this friendship was one that would last forever.

________________________________________

"Why aren't you packed yet, all powerful Avatar? Come on, show me how it's done using all four kinds of bending?" the only voice echoing through my room was that of my best friend. Sozin took a step through the doorframe and suddenly broke out a bunch of random moves, supposedly representing the four elements.

But I didn't really have the energy to look up, as the Fire Sages' announcement was still fresh in my mind. The small candles at the corners of my room wavered slightly as I replayed the scene again and again. It was my sixteenth birthday a few days ago, and all my family and close friends joined me in celebrating. Being a member of nobility meant I had extravagant balls for important dates like this, and Sozin was invited to join. It didn't hurt that we were born on the same day, so the royal family also chipped in with the event. We had just exited the house and into the courtyard, and immediately my eyes scanned the crowd for that girl I had always fancied. She was positioned a few rows back to my right, and upon seeing me she turned away, a crimson hue spreading onto her face. I tried to smile back, and nearly fell down the steps in the process. Had it not been for Sozin's quick reflexes, my main birthday present would be a series of cuts and bruises.

Yet the second my head was levelled, the Fire Sages showed up. They were the religious authority in the Fire Nation, and usually conducted weddings or funeral proceedings. I heard they were also in charge of coronation ceremonies, and in advising and assisting the royal family. The five marched in formation, striding in wearing their traditional red robes and caps. Upon seeing their presence, Sozin became quite worried. "Did something happen to my father?" I recalled him asking. The Fire Lord had fallen ill just recently, and while his conditions weren't serious, there was cause for concern.

But the Fire Sages soon dismissed Sozin, waving him off as they informed the crowd that the identity of the next Avatar was about to be unveiled. That got a wave of chattering and whispering perked from each corner. But the biggest surprise came when they turned to me, looking me in the eye and stated, "It is our honour to serve you, Avatar Roku." With that, they all dropped down to their knees, hunched their backs, touched their foreheads to the ground, and not moving a muscle.

I was shocked into silence. It was like lightning had struck, and I froze completely while my jaw dropped to the ground. Immediately, every member of the crowd followed suit and kowtowed to me as well. I could see Sozin from the corner of my left eye. He stood in surprise for a moment, not knowing what to believe as his best friend had just been announced as the guardian of the entire world. It had been sixteen years or so since the last Avatar, a very powerful woman from the Earth Kingdom named Kyoshi, had passed away. And now, I was asked to fill her shoes, a massive responsibility given the achievements that Avatar had. Nonetheless, Sozin conformed to the group as well and got to his knees. My body felt faint amidst the complete silence, too stunned to even react. Around me, the world spun as every element seemed to rush at me. I could feel the blood rushing in and out of my head, not knowing what to do with this information.

The past few days had been a daze for me, with me receiving various congratulations from friends and family, but mostly the Fire Sages kept them at bay. After a quick test of my fire bending, they realized that I was advanced enough to go directly to the next element. They told me to pack my essentials while they contacted the closest Air Temple to arrange for my air bending lessons. But when they said only the essentials, they were not straying far from the meaning of that phrase. No valuables were to be taken, nothing that indicated my status in the Fire Nation, and as little family relics as possible.  
And now, with Sozin peering over me, I truly had nothing left to do. "I started packing, but then the Fire Sages said I won't require any worldly possessions anymore." I told my friend as he continued holding that awkward pose in front of me.

Sozin's enthusiastic attitude drooped after my comment. Taking a seat next to me on my bed, I could feel him gauging me. I had been downcast and alone in my room for the last few hours already, knowing that this was to be my last day in the Fire Nation. "It happened so fast," I continued, "Everything is going to be different now."

Then suddenly, Sozin did the unthinkable, even to his best friend. His hands reached for the top of his head, and in one smooth motion, pulled out the pin fastening the royal head piece. He lifted the ornament off his hair and handed it to me. "Here, I hope at least you're allowed to have this," the Fire Prince handed me the horn-like object.

I turned my eyes to his palm, and was in disbelief. "But this is a royal artefact," I sputtered, "It's supposed to be worn by the Crown Prince." Everyone knew how Sozin, being the oldest son of the Fire Lord, never left home without this head piece. Its circular mould with two horn-like protrusions on each side signified royal-in-waiting, and only members of royalty were allowed to parade publicly with it. So for Sozin to gladly give the piece away to me, I wasn't sure if I should even accept it.

But Sozin persisted, shoving the piece into my hand. "I want you to have it," he insisted, his tone filled with sincerity. I looked into his eyes and saw that he meant what he said. Given that it might be years before I returned, he wanted to offer something to signify our lifelong friendship. And if it meant sacrificing the head piece, then so be it.

After giving it some thought, I finally plucked it from his hands. The cool metallic feel resonated through me, rejuvenating me as I wrapped my fingers around it. I had always wondered what it would be like to see Sozin's coronation ceremony, but it was almost like Sozin had wanted to crown me himself. Instead of a royal ceremony, the Fire Prince had just dubbed me: Avatar Roku. Nodding, I lifted the piece to the top of my head, feeling for where my hair had been tied and slipping it on. I fastened it with the long red pin, and it was finally complete. Thank you, Sozin, I thought to myself.

Then, we both got up and faced each other. We each formed a fist with our right hands and pressed it into the palm of our left hands. We took a deep bow, signifying the beginning of this long journey of my realization as my world's keeper.

________________________________________

"Sozin, or should I say, Fire Lord?" I greeted my friend as I entered through the main doors of the throne room. I had been gone for a dozen years, and my journey took me to places that I had never imagined before. My training had been intense, learning all the necessary moves of each bending style, while exposing myself to traditions and other customs of cultures I had never seen firsthand before. It was bitter work, but the results were worth it. I now mastered all the elements, and was ready to settle into my role.

I stared up onto the throne, and there was my friend. Just like me, he was no longer the goofy teenager I knew when we last saw each other. He had his red royal robes on, his posture straight and tall while his eyes gazed over the hall. And like me, he had also grown a beard, the hair lining the side of his jaw before ending in a tip under his chin. "Customarily my subjects bow before greeting me," he stated monotonously, casting a somewhat unimpressed eye at me. I was surprised at this, given he was never this formal or serious before. Had he changed that much after my departure? My mouth dropped slightly as the muscular man stepped down from his throne and marched to me.

We were at level as he stared his orange eyes into mine. Despite being a bit taller than Sozin, I could tell he was the authority figure here, and he didn't hesitate in exerting his power. I pondered what that tight, almost cold face represented when the Fire Lord suddenly relaxed his entire pose. "But you're the exception," he concluded. With that, he parted his arms and pulled me into a tight embrace. Sensing that he still saw me as his friend, even with the changes in our statuses, I couldn't help but return the hug.

When we finally released each other, Sozin got a good look at me, seeing a face he had not seen in over a decade. "I heard you entered the capital yesterday, and would be visiting the palace today. That's why I didn't hesitate in asking our chefs to cook the most luxurious meal we'll have since my coronation. It'll include most of the favourites we had when we were younger," he described, "I've got all sorts of questions for you on your journey, but I guess we can talk on the way to the dining hall." Sozin lifted an arm, gesturing at the door while nudging my shoulder. "Shall we?"

We strolled happily out the throne room. In the hallway, Sozin barraged me with questions on my first stop. "I heard this from the Fire Sages a few days after you left. They told me you went to the Southern Air Temple," he recalled, "The Air Nomads were quite spiritual, aren't they? So what was their approach to bending?"

I smiled. The Air Nomads were among the most interesting people I had ever met, and it didn't hurt that I seemed to have left quite an impression on one young air bender during my stay there. "The Air Nomads favour a harmonious approach. When we were still training on our fire bending, our mentors told us that fire is explosive, and that the strength of each blow must match our inner aggression. But for air bending, it's the exact opposite. When one air bends, one must be in perfect harmony with one's mind, so much so that all the energy in one's body is focused." I explained.

Sozin nodded, trying to absorb this new-found knowledge. Although I was sure he might have trouble understanding the different culture, I was genuinely impressed at the new curiosity he showed. I guessed that by being the Fire Lord, it was important for him to know the other cultures, in case he ever had to interact with them, or so I believed. "So what else did you experience there?" he asked, "Did you meet any new people?"

I couldn't help but throw my head back and recall the first air bender I met. He was one of a kind, and truly amazed me with both his enthusiasm and skill. "Ah yes, there was this one air bender, and I truly bonded quite well with him…"

_Learning basic air techniques was the hardest thing for me. I had to understand this new culture's every way of doing things before I could start the new element. For example, it took me a week just to breathe correctly, as the monks told me that one could not manipulate air outside of the body if one could not even control the air within. It was quite difficult, as the Fire Nation taught us to feel the energy churning and use it with force, while the Air Nomads saw breathing as a way to calm the energy. Given that they were a pacifist culture, they preferred avoiding conflict with anyone. Thus, their bending directed force away rather than focused it, which was very different from fire._

_But after another few weeks of learning basic steps such as body positioning and air release, my mentors finally decided that I was ready to do something more advanced. So, grouping me with a bunch of young air benders, many of whom years younger than me, we each picked up a glider staff and headed for the skies. My partner for the day was a young, taller than average air bender who had become quite close to me. Like all of his classmates, he had on the traditional orange and yellow air bender robes, his head shaved bald, and was a strict vegetarian, as not to harm animal life. His name: Gyatso._

_As we spread our wings and took to the sky, I got a new feeling of the air. It was not the first time I flew before, having done so for a few years already on my pet dragon Fang, but it was the first time I did it without his help. With the air breezing around me, throwing about my long hair and whipping at my set of air bender clothing, I could feel the freedom that most monks spoke of when air gliding. The Fire Sages once told me the Air Nomads were a relatively carefree people, tending to blend harmoniously with nature rather than going with strict rules and guidelines. And seeing how happy my classmates were as their gliders sailed past me and into the clouds, I could truly understand why._

_Taking a gander in front of me, just in the right side of my vision, I could see Gyatso flying at a steady pace. For someone younger than me, Gyatso was a true expert at the element, completing many of the techniques needed to elevate to the position of an air bending master. The monks told me that to achieve the master status one must have completed thirty-six main air bending skills, as evaluated by the senior council. Should the council deem the techniques satisfactory, the status would be bestowed upon one by having one remove their clothing and etching on the famous blue arrow tattoos._

_But seeing my new friend fly so freely, my mischievous side took over, and I decided to show off a little to him. "Hey Gyatso, you want to see a new glider trick?" I called. And as he turned his head, I pulled the glider up and made a wide arc, doing two perfect back flip before returning to a level flying position._

_Not to be outdone, Gyatso came up with a trick of his own. "Check this out!" He replied, flipping the glider around so that he was now on top. With some nifty acrobatics, he jumped onto the back staff and crouched down, teetering on the glider while taking the flight's control with his feet. This new air-surfing technique, one nobody had seen before, really amazed me as my friend handled the difficult manoeuvre with ease. Even before I joined his class, many others said Gyatso was a bit of an oddball, tending to do things in an unorthodox way. In fact, he developed new versions of basic techniques we learned, showing a sense of risk taking that was unique even among the freewheeling Air Nomads._

_But the wind was a factor in these high-altitude places, as the expert air bender soon lost his balance and teetered off the staff. Seeing his flailing, I had to intervene before he fell to his doom. Curving the glider hard downward, I made an emergency descend and swooped below Gyatso. Luckily, I managed to catch him as he landed with a thud above me. The heavier weight of the glider made it difficult to handle, but I did everything possible to get to the landing site, which was a lower ledge of the temple just ahead of me. Gritting my teeth, I struggled for control, hoping to make it intact._

_But the extra body on top was too great, and it forced a situation where the air currents could no longer flow by effectively. I could feel the glider slow down as we lost altitude. Wobbling involuntarily, we could see the ledge come closer and closer. There were still people getting off their gliders there, and we could only hope that they could get out of our way as Gyatso and I braced for a crash-landing._

"You crashed in front of all your classmates? What did the monks say?" Sozin chortled, trying hard to stifle his laughter. Not even when we were kids did this type of catastrophe happen, so upon hearing that story, he couldn't help but ask for more.

I smiled. "I think they truly found us an odd couple. He was a daredevil type, always trying to do something dangerous. I was the Avatar-in-training, and everyone expected me to take my lessons seriously. So to see us play around like that, I think it surprised them," I replied, shrugging, "But you know what? I'm glad I met Gyatso, and I think he'll be a great friend. Should I ever collaborate with the Air Nomads, I hope he can get involved, as he'll be really helpful for any future situations."

Sozin nodded astutely. I tried to glance over, but didn't manage to read any expressions. While Gyatso had indeed become a part of my Avatar training experience, I was never going to replace Sozin with Gyatso. After a dozen years, Sozin was still my best friend, and nothing was going to change that. Lifting his head, Sozin turned to me again and asked for my next destination. "I believe if we go according to the Avatar cycle, your next element would be water. What was it like with the Water Tribes?"

________________________________________

The ferocious fires of an Avatar's fury blasted through the open skies as I rode Fang all the way into the Fire Palace. As Avatar, part of my responsibility was to go around the world and check on the citizens of as many areas as possible. Sometimes, it might involve visiting places I had been to before, like the Southern Air Temple where my friend Gyatso was now a recognized master and mentor to younger air benders. But I must also go to lesser-known places like smaller towns in the Earth Kingdom. I had just finished a tour of the Northern Water Tribe, where I had spent the most of my time in training. Given that water was the polar opposite of my natural element of fire, learning water bending was extremely difficult for me. But during my final few months there, I had not only matched, but surpassed many of the experienced water bending masters there, to the point where I could create waves that could reach the top of their buildings.

But the happy memories of water bending stories came to a crashing end as I left the tribe and headed south. I flew past a few Earth Kingdom towns near the border with the Fire Nation, and I couldn't believe my eyes. Most Earth Kingdom towns usually had a front gate, and this one was no exception. But draped over this gate was a huge red flag with a black flame insignia in the middle. For some reason, this Earth Kingdom town, which was only a day's walk from the border, was claimed by the Fire Nation. "No, how can this be?" I muttered, signalling to Fang to descend, "Was Sozin truly serious?"

I strolled in, trying to remain as calm as possible. Being the Avatar meant security forces in each respective country allowed me to enter without further question, and it was no different in this town. The Fire Nation soldiers all stood on guard as I marched in, my face twisting in concern. The wind had suddenly died down, and even the birds in the surrounding area were silenced as I recalled Sozin's words from over a decade back. It was during my wedding party, when I proposed to Ta Min, the girl I had a crush on since I was a teenager. When she accepted, I was overjoyed, and immediately made plans for the ceremony. As expected, my best friend was invited to be the best man. But shortly after we had taken our vows, Sozin pulled me aside and made a proposal of his own.

"Right from the start, I was destined to be Fire Lord. And although we didn't always know it, you were destined to be the Avatar," Sozin described as we strolled on a balcony of the wedding hall. It was evening, and the bright sun was edging near the horizon. Orange and yellow splashed across the skies as wedding guests grabbed food and drinks while laughing merrily with each other below us. I was with Ta Min still receiving well-wishes from people when Sozin insisted that he wanted to speak to me. Ta Min reluctantly agreed, and that was where I found myself. "It's an amazing stroke of fate we know each other so well, isn't it? Together, we can do anything!" Sozin beamed, that mischievous twinkle I saw so often when we were young returning to his eye.

"Our nation is enjoying an unprecedented time of peace and wealth. Our people are happy, and we're so fortunate in so many ways," Sozin continued, moving closer to the edge of the balcony. From behind, I stared at him in suspicion, unsure of where he wanted to go with the argument. Sozin's body blocked the sun's rays, engulfing him into a silhouette as he made his suggestion, "I've been thinking, we should share our prosperity with the rest of the world. In our hands is the most successful empire in history, and it's time we expanded it!" he finished with a flourish. He tilted his head back to me, letting in just enough light to catch his excited and determined expression.

I gasped. Surely Sozin was joking, right? What would happen to the balance of the world should this plan succeed? Moreover, what would happen to the people and their cultures should we force our Fire Nation ways upon them? Immediately, I protested his decision. "The four nations were meant to be just that: four!" I insisted.

Sozin refused to believe me, claiming there were other possibilities to consider. But I reaffirmed my stance. "There are no possibilities," I reiterated firmly, my brows creasing in anger and disgust, "This is the last I want to hear about this."

But it wasn't the last that I would hear about it, as Sozin had proceeded with his plans anyway. I strolled through the village that as quiet as the Fire Nation royal burial sites, the Dragon Bone Catacombs. Not a soul was on the streets as Fire Nation soldiers marched through, peering through doors and barking orders to the civilians. With dust and sand swirling around me, I figured out what went on. Not saying another word, I immediately charged out of the town. I hopped back onto Fang and headed straight for the Fire Palace.

I could feel my blood rush through my body, my heart pounding from my chest as I shot through the halls. Not even bothering to greet the guards standing outside the throne room, I shoved the doors open and stomped up to my friend. "I've seen the colonies, Sozin. How dare you occupy Earth Kingdom territory?" I demanded, seething with anger as the smoke barely cleared from the force I exerted onto the doors.

But Sozin remained undeterred, his voice cold and defiant as he retorted, "How dare you, a citizen of the Fire Nation, address your Fire Lord this way? Your loyalty is to our nation first and anything less makes you a traitor." The flames lining the centre aisle flickered and waved, in fear of Sozin's words as he glared at me.

Realizing that two powerhouses were about to collide, I had to do everything in my power to ease the tension. While my duty as the Avatar was the preserve the balance of the world, I must also do it in ways that caused the least harm. "Don't do this, Sozin. Don't challenge me, it will only end badly," I warned, my tone lowering and darkening just as quickly as I flashed my deathly serious eyes back at him, "It's over."

Instantly, I turned around to leave. I still had to go back to that Earth Kingdom town to convince the inhabitants there that I would help them out of the situation. But as I neared the door, I could feel a tremendous amount of heat roaring from behind me. Darn it, I thought, Sozin's on the attack. Thinking fast, I drilled myself into the ground, using earth bending to travel underground while escaping Sozin's raging flames. Feeling my way underneath, I managed to sneak up from right behind Sozin and reappeared onto the surface. Catching him off guard, I blindsided him with a vicious air blast. "Oof!" Sozin yelled as he was slammed back-first onto the front doors, before crumpling to the ground. Taking advantage of his weak state, I stomped hard on the ground, forcing up a gigantic rock pillar which hooked Sozin up by his robes and pinned him to the ceiling.

Then it was sheer pandemonium as I reached deep into my Avatar training. Clasping my hands together, I concentrated hard and activated the most powerful aspect of the Avatar's arsenal: the Avatar State. After returning to the Fire Nation, I didn't head straight for the capital city. Rather, the Fire Sages pulled me into one of their temples on Crescent Island and trained me on this very important technique. I had minimal progress even with months of training, but I chose to employ a shortcut by using the solstice sun to boost my powers. The trick worked alright, but I had no control over it. My lifeless body just floated in midair, all the while the temple exploded, with the roof blasted off and debris everywhere. Luckily, one of the sages freed me with a mirror and chastised me for my lack of patience. Otherwise, even greater damage would be done to the area.

But no such lack of control here as I let the Avatar State take over, showing off its power as the throne room exploded, blasting the roof off the same way it did on Crescent Island. Sozin was nothing but a lifeless rag doll as the winds whipped about and threw him around. Luckily, the rock pillar was strong enough to keep him up, or the Fire Lord would surely fall to his doom. As the debris settled, I formed a minor tornado and used it to propel myself to his level. I hovered before him, staring him straight in the eye. He was no longer defiant, and trembled slightly, perhaps in fear as I shot daggers into him. "I'm sparing you, Sozin. I'm letting you go in the name of our past friendship," I explained, spitting out each word clearly and concisely, "But I warn you, even a single step out of line will result in your permanent end!" I declared, drilling the message into him.

Sozin's face twitched a couple of times, not knowing what to say or even how to react. Never had a Fire Lord been placed in such a situation, and part of me did realize the scarring Sozin must have received when I showed him I meant business. Nonetheless, I turned around and left him alone, returning to my duties and letting him deal with this dilemma. Despite telling him that our friendship was still intact, and that I would spare him because of it, deep down I knew that things would never be the same again.

________________________________________

"Everyone, evacuate immediately, please!" I heard Ta Min shout to the denizens of our island as the mountain above us displayed its full fury. It was just another peaceful night when the volcano that towered over our homes suddenly rumbled. Within minutes, rocks and ash raced down the hillside, smothering the streets and threatened to destroy our homes. Ta Min and I managed to get out to the pier, where I instructed her to start loading the boats to get everyone to safety while I stayed back and protect our homes as much as I could. Facing the fiery menace, I created a huge air ball around me, redirecting much of the dust and soot away from the town as I prepared my battle.

Taking a crouched stance, I summoned a huge slab of rock, riding it like a wave as I met the incoming lava. The orange glowing liquid poured its way down the cliff, but I was intent on using this earth to block its path, or at least direct it away from our town. It became increasingly difficult to see or breathe properly as particulates filled the air, the contamination starting to choke my lungs. Meanwhile, the thick stream of lava closed in on my position, trapping me like a rodent. Thinking quickly, I split my arms to the sides, using earth bending to create two long trenches to take the lava into the water. Hopefully, it would buy me more time while diverting it from the town site.

But the earthen trenches and dykes would not last as another large slab of rock gave way. The volcano shot more orange liquid into the air, this time reaching nearly the clouds as it raced down the sides. Sensing the larger threat looming, I raced up whatever little ground that was left before leaping into the air. Going deep into my Avatar abilities, I took in a huge breath, sucking in the cool air from higher altitudes before aiming it right at the lava. In one swift motion, I blew it all out, sending a chill down to the lava before solidifying it completely. It created a second dyke while I tried to find another way to stop them. The volcano was not letting back now as toxic fumes sprayed from various cracks on the ground. From above, I could hear Fang squealing as the gases sprayed up to his position. "It's alright Fang, get out of here!" I shouted, coughing into my left arm while air bending the toxins away with my right, "I'm fine!"

But the smoke, lava, debris and toxins all came at once, making any chance for survival unlikely. Swinging around once more, I activated the Avatar State, the power of my past souls coursing through my body. Slamming my fist into the ground, I shot a line of rocks through the crater of the volcano and into the other side. With two exits for the lava, it should create for an easier flow, and hopefully less damage. I was about to relax when suddenly, the second crater on the other side of the island also gave way, letting another stream of lava into the air. Helplessness descended upon me as I realized the island was doomed. With the amount of destruction this could cause, I realized that all hope was lost. There was no way I could handle two volcanic eruptions by myself.

Just then, a large shadow loomed over me. "Need a hand, old friend?" a familiar voice called. I turned my head just as the smoke cleared, showing a face I thought I would never see again. Riding before me on his own dragon was Fire Lord Sozin, my former best friend. "There's not a moment to waste," he stated seriously.

Instantly, he pulled me onto his dragon and together, we rode to the second site. I was truly surprised by this gesture, as I had not spoken to him for twenty-five years since our battle. During this time, Sozin had conceded some territory, returning a few to where they originated from, and kept the military activities to a minimum. But because of the huge mistrust we had, we refused to even address each other. Even in meetings with high ranking Fire Nation officials that involved the Avatar's advice, Sozin would usually show up but depart after a few minutes, leaving most of the negotiation and agreement signings to his assistants and ministers. So, to see him actively assist my island during this disaster, I couldn't help but be relieved. "How did you know about this?" I asked him.

The dragon halted just over the edge of the second crater. Sozin signalled us to dismount. "Never in my life have I witnessed a volcano display this much fury. The Fire Palace may be a hundred miles away, but I could feel the tremors all the way in my bedroom,” he described, “As the Fire Lord, I can't possibly sit idly while it destroyed the land, especially when it's your home."

I nodded and hurried into position. I took a deep breath, mustering all the strength inside me before pressing my hands down to the dirt. Sensing the liquids inside the lava, I used water bending to press it back to a level position. Beside me, Sozin used a modified version of fire bending to suck in the heat given off by the orange liquid. He brought the steam into him while pointing his other arm into the air, diverting the heat and cooling the lava instantly. The result was new rocks being formed, further blocking the lava from doing damage while decreasing the amount from inside the volcano from rushing out.

For a few minutes, there was significant success, as one side of the second crater was already under control. Even when Sozin accidently slipped off the crater, there was no worry between us, as I stomped hard onto the rocks, creating a horizontal pillar for him to balance on as we continued our work. "Don't breathe the toxic gas," I warned him as we rushed to stop the lava on the other side while air bending the toxins away from us.

But in my attempts to rush us both through, I miscalculated the unpredictability of a volcanic eruption. I ended up stepping right into a blast of toxic fumes, smothering my face with grey and spraying straight into my nostrils. Right then, I knew my time was up, as there was no way I could save the island and get out in time for treatment. My knees buckled and everything before me became a blur. "It's too much," I stuttered. Knowing that the fumes had already begun their infection into my lungs, the only way I could get out in time was with Sozin. "Please," I pleaded, reaching for him while gasping for air.

But Sozin stood there, not making a single move. Although I couldn't see his face clearly, I must have imagined his expression as he told me in a cruel, monotonous tone, "Without you, all my plans are suddenly possible. I have a vision for the future, Roku."

Just then, he signalled in his dragon, which slid in neatly beside him. Sozin climbed on board, glaring at me one last time. His eyes were cold and emotionless, not showing any mercy as he left me to die on that volcano. My coughs turned into wheezes as the dark dragon sped off, exiting the volcanic cloud and into the night sky. The only things I could hear as my eyes dimmed were the volcanic debris rushing down, and the final shrieks of my dragon. Fang dashed in, engulfing me in his body as the hot material rumbled down to us. Soon, we would be buried, our lives in this world gone.

Avatar Kyoshi, my predecessor, had been a fantastic advisor to me throughout my time here, but it was time to meet her on the other side. As my final seconds ticked down, my entire life flashed before me. All my childhood memories with Sozin, all my training in each element, all the new friends I met, like Gyatso, all my times throughout the world and how I interacted with the people, and above all my lovely wife Ta Min, who I could only hope had reached safety by now. My former best friend had changed into a person I could no longer accept. He had never been cold and ruthless before, and I could only imagine what the world would be like when the Fire Nation ruled everything. If only I had acted sooner, then maybe I could have stopped this disaster, I thought as darkness filled me. In my last bit of energy, only one more thought crossed my mind.

My name is Avatar Roku. That was my story. Those were my rites of passage.


	2. Hakoda

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Each character grows up with a set of experiences unique to themselves. Watch each person describe what went through their minds and how they changed as they reacted to the world. These are their stories, these are their rites of passage.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: Michael DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko own Avatar.

The entire Water Tribe froze and stared skyward as the grey clouds and small snowflakes were contaminated with black ash and soot. The dark flakes intermingled with the snow already on the ground as complete silence descended onto the land. A bunch of Water Tribe warriors, clad in their traditional blue parkas and dark boots, all gathered at the forefront, watching several dark objects grow nearer to us. "Hakoda, this could be an invasion. Should we get into defensive position?" one man turned to ask me.

"Yes, we must get ready," I responded, pointing at various directions and directed my people to each place. It wasn't easy being the leader of the Southern Water Tribe in these times of war. The Fire Nation had waged this battle against the world for nearly a century now, and we were amongst the last people not to be entirely conquered by their vicious army. As a result of this, the Fire Nation often sent in troops to raid our tribe, depleting us of our resources, and taking many of our best water benders prisoners. Their cruelty and ruthlessness were so great that suspicion of the Fire Nation ran deep in our tribe, so much so that many older warriors willingly volunteered to defend us, even as their fighting abilities were limited and would most likely become victims themselves.

And this raid was no exception as the Fire Nation boats slammed into our snow and ice-covered land. The familiar red triangular flags, with the sea raven design in the middle, signified one of the most terrifying naval units of the Fire Nation: the Southern Raiders. "Get everyone to safety, take the children inside," I shouted to the women as blurs of blue rushed past, "Frontline fighters come with me and gather at the waterfront, while backline defenders hold the line at the gates," I pointed at several snow pits, one of which contained my children Sokka and Katara. Their fun snowball fight was interrupted when the raid began, and I could see Katara race off deeper into our village. She went in the direction of our home, where my wife Kya was at the moment. "Stay safe, alright?" I murmured, taking one last look back before I took off for the water.

Before our team could even line up into formation, the Fire Nation troops charged forward. Bright orange pumped out their fists, contrasting against their dark uniforms and the snowy ground. Roaring in fury, the darkly-dressed, masked figures raced our way. The descending soot thickened, the ocean winds suddenly dying down as we had the battle of our lives at hand. Letting out our own battle cry, our warriors, armed with bladed clubs and spears, advanced to meet our foe, ready to protect our homes.

Fire balls zinged through the polluted air as the Raiders bombarded us, forcing us to change tactics and breaking up our group. Lucky for us, most of our warriors were also trained in hand-to-hand combat. Should their initial long-range fire projectiles miss, we would have a chance to get closer to each Raider, and employed our own set of weapons on them. "They outnumber us, so be careful!" I heard one of my fellow tribesman shout.

Gritting my teeth, I could feel my body's every muscle tensing. With only the thoughts of my wife and children in my mind, I met my assailant head-on. The impurities in the air made it difficult to see very clearly, but the black helmet and red face protector could not be more evident. The bright flames wavering at his right fist grew hotter and brighter as he swung it towards me. I could feel my surroundings heat up, the snowflakes falling by my head melting instantly as the fire punch came right at my face. Thinking fast, I had to do something to divert that shot.

Using the oldest water bending technique, I turned my defensive manoeuvre into an offensive one as I observed the motion of the soldier's flaming arm. Despite having no water bending abilities of my own, I was very much aware of my tribe's water bending training, and constantly incorporated some of their techniques into my battle style. Just as the punch came up, I guided it away by slipping my left hand near the attacker's elbow and pushed upward. The fire sailed into the air, scorching harmlessly through the cold.

The opened position of the Southern Raider I faced made it perfect for my attack. Ramming my right shoulder into his midsection, I channelled all the energy he had from his attack back against him. The armoured plates clanged as I hoisted him up and hurled him over my shoulder, causing him to sail across the battlefield. I tilted my head around just in time to see the assailant fly head-first into a snow barrier, slumping to the ground as my son pelted him with a snowball. Sokka, always the goofball, I thought.

But the appearance of another Fire Nation soldier brought my attention back onto the battlefield. Double barrel flame shooting sliced through the air and nearly scorched me. I ducked and dodged both shots, the embers trickling to my face and nearly burning my goatee. That only brought the assailant on the offensive as he continued rumbling at me, quickly pushing me near a snow bank. "This isn't good," I murmured to myself.

Yet, the white, crunchy material behind me also gave me an idea. What if I used that to disable the fire bender? Getting back into my fighter stance, I waited for his fire attack. Knowing that fire benders usually had a pattern, I could predict what they might employ for their finishing moves. I kept a hawk's eyes on the attacker, who swung his flaming arms around, repositioning himself before charging at me again.

This time, no such luck for him as I timed the punch perfectly. I stepped in to the flameless side and, using the same trick I did on the first assailant, diverted the fireball into the air. Again I aimed for the defenceless midsection, flipping the Southern Raider over my shoulder and away from me. But this time, I added a little extra to the attack, as I grabbed the soldier by the armour and shoved him head-first into the snow bank. Only a muffled groan could be heard from within as white fluff tumbled further down, burying his head completely and nullifying the threat. Not bad for an improvised move, I thought.  
But the one voice I never expected on the battlefield called for me from above. "Dad, Dad! Please, I think Mom's in trouble!" My eyes shot up just in time to see Katara run up, her hair braids waving as she screeched to a halt on the top of the snow bank, "There's a man in our house!" She reported, her voice filled with fear and desperation.

My face froze, the sounds of the battlefield nothing but slurs as I focused in on the little girl before me. Earlier, we knew the Southern Raiders outnumbered our warriors by a fair margin, but we handled ourselves surprisingly well. Even without all of our fighters, we managed to keep them in check. It was as if we had an even number of combatants on the battlefield. But my daughter's message made me realize why, as the Southern Raiders merely split into two groups. One group would battle us to create a distraction while the other entered our village. "Kya!" I managed to eke out the name of my wife, before hurrying back with my daughter. In my mind, only the worst scenarios played themselves out as I wondered what atrocities they had in plan for her.

Everything blew past like a winter storm as I followed my daughter through the village and into our home. My mind was so flustered that I didn't have time to check if any Fire Nation soldiers marched by. But smoke billowed ominously from a few houses, and I knew they must have gone through here. "Kya, hang on, I'm coming!" I muttered.

But when Katara and I burst through the entrance, the mysterious Fire Nation soldier that Katara mentioned was no longer there. In fact, there was complete silence as my eyes gazed through the darkness. There were only two weak flames lighting the entire chamber, but they were enough to illuminate a body on the floor. "Kya?" I called, gently edging forward and squinting into the room. The body was motionless, but from the dim lighting I could make out a blue parka riddled with scorch marks.

"No, Kya!" I whispered. I charged in and gripped the body, flipping it around and getting a good look at the face. The smell of burnt skin penetrated my nose as dark red and brown patches disfigured the face. The front of the parka was in even worse shape than the back, with fibres and strings torn apart on impact. I took a look under the outermost layer, and saw that she had been burned through and through. "Kya, speak to me. Are you alright?" I asked, slightly shaking the body and slipping a finger under her nose.

There was no response as I could not feel any air exit her nostrils. My arms shook involuntarily as I felt real fear for the first time in my life. Throughout my training with the other Water Tribe warriors, I was told to never be afraid of death. Given that the war had been going on for nearly a century, we were to expect battles with the Fire Nation on a regular basis. I knew all my life that I was to defend my homeland and loved ones, and that carried with me even as I was named tribal chief. But now, seeing the one I loved and cherished the most becoming the latest victim, I was truly devastated.

"Dad? Will Mom be okay?" Katara's meek voice snapped me out of my trance. I turned to face my daughter, who half-huddled near the entrance, her body split evenly between shadow and light. Her eyes were watery, her shoulders slightly shivered, and her gloved hands rubbed each other nervously. My mother always said that children were extra sensitive to traumatizing events, and they had a way of knowing even without being told what happened. Seeing the way Katara acted right now, I knew her suspicions were there, and I must do something to diffuse the situation.

"Go get your grandmother, Katara," I told her, trying to mask my shaky tone with a calm voice, "Tell her we need anyone who can heal to come here immediately." I could only stare on as my daughter left the hut. I could hear the sounds of battle ease as Fire Nation troops withdrew from their raid. This might be a regular, expected battle, but the results were anything but. We might have won the fight, but I lost my greatest treasure.

________________________________________

"Hakoda, here's what I think will work best in our defence of Chameleon Bay," I watched my lifelong friend Bato move some boat figurines around, trying to picture our latest attack plan against the Fire Nation navy in my head. This was a strategic location just outside Ba Sing Se, the capital of the Earth Kingdom. So far, the walled city held its own against the Fire Nation's attacks, including one led by General Iroh, the infamous Dragon of the West. But now, knowing the Fire Nation was on the offensive again, it was only a matter of time before the final Earth kingdom stronghold fell.

I cupped my chin with my left hand, imagining how the ships would handle each location. Everything was just a blur to me, my fellow Water Tribe warriors all blocked out of my vision as I focused on the large map on the ground. Being a Water Tribe chief, I had expertise in not just naval manoeuvres, but also naval interception and combat. In our hands was the largest naval invasion by the Fire Nation navy. We had to do all we could to prevent them from fulfilling their goal before their reinforcements arrived.

Suddenly, Bato, who was to my right, gently nudged my shoulder with his elbow. It snapped me out of my train of thought, just in the midst of complete silence in our tent as I looked up. There was a sight I hadn't seen in two years. "Sokka!" I greeted my son.

Instinctively, I got to my feet, my knees shaky like gelatine as I took a long glance at the figure standing at the tent's opening. Even though the entrance was drawn closed, I could still make out the features: dark brown hair tied to a ponytail, blue sleeveless shirt with dark fingerless gloves, dark leggings and brown boots. Add the tan, round face to the mix and it reminded me of my obligation other than a chief and war general: father.

As I approached, I could see Sokka's determined face weaken, the muscles all relaxing as his emotions took over. "Hi, Dad," he squeaked out, trying hard to contain himself. Immediately, we pulled each other into a tight embrace. It was two years ago since I left him, telling him that, as the oldest male left, he would have to defend our tribe. He was so young, barely into his teens, but now, he had all grown up. Taller and leaner than the short stubby boy he was when I left, he was ready to fight our foes.

We finally released each other as I took another long look at my son. Although we were still in an important meeting right now, I didn't hesitate in bringing him in with us. If he were to succeed me as tribal chief one day, then at least he had to know the ways of battle. "We were just going over some plans to repel the Fire Nation navy," I told Sokka, "care to stick around and let us finish before I show you some of our equipment?"

Sokka nodded, barely eking out a word as I escorted him to the group currently gathered around the centre map. Despite not saying anything, I was very proud of the progress Sokka had made. In the beginning, he was a determined warrior with limited skills. When I first decided to leave the tribe to fight in the war, Sokka was so intent on coming along that it would meant there would be no more men at the tribe. But I told him that the most important mission for him was to do the best he could to accomplish his mission. "Being a man is knowing where you're needed the most, and for you right now, that's here, protecting your sister," I recalled saying to him.

But there wouldn't be any worries of protecting the village. Not only did Sokka and Katara do everything in their power to defend themselves, but they also travelled the world helping those affected by the war. Even as the Water Tribe strategists went over the details, my mind was only partially on the planning. My eyes were on my teenage son standing before me, his poise and posture resembling very much the warrior-in-making that he was. One day you'll be a leader Sokka, I thought, one day.

As the planners finished their explanation, I proceeded to adjourning the meeting and bringing my son outside. "There are some new inventions that I've wanted to show you," I described, taking him away from the war tent and into the open area. The golden sand crunched under our feet as more sea breezes brushed against our skin. The climate at Ba Sing Se was much more moderate than our home in the Southern Water Tribe, meaning most warriors were in shorts sleeves as they worked on the beach. "Take a look at this," I said, pointing to some large balls.

Sokka's eyes narrowed as he suspiciously glanced at the dark and round objects. "What the…ugh," he cried, wrinkling his nose after taking a couple of sniffs, "What's that smell?" he demanded, his hands shooting up to cover his face.

I chuckled as I dropped to my knees, signalling Sokka to do the same. I pointed to the other side, opposite to the direction where we came from as Bato marched up holding a series of materials. "This bay leads directly to the outskirts of Ba Sing Se, and we've been using these tangle mines to stop Fire Nation ships from getting through," I reached to the top of the container and unscrewed it, opening the drum and letting Sokka get a peek inside. Sokka cocked an eyebrow before rearing his head towards the opening. He squinted apprehensively into the darkness below, still unsure of what to expect from this stinky container.

Before the stench swept over Sokka's body, Bato edged forward and poured in the secret formula for the mine. "Your father invented tangle mines himself," he mentioned as the thick liquid with various chunks clunked its way to the bottom.

Bato moved on to fill another mine once the one we were at was full. Sokka, seemingly understanding the purpose behind this invention, dipped his head forward again. "Destructive, buoyant, and…" he listed off, taking another glimpse, "Ah, argh, terrible smelling." He concluded as another wave of the nasty odour shot into his face.

I smiled and nodded. "Very perceptive," I responded, screwing the cap back on, "The mines are filled with skunk fish and seaweed. When a ship detonates the mine, the seaweed tangles up the propeller, and the foul smell forces people to abandon the ship," I took out my short sword and scooped away the solution that overflowed from the cap being squeezed on, scraping it off the sides and flicking it to the sand, "I call it, the stink and sink," I concluded, beaming proudly at my son.

Upon hearing that, Sokka burst into giggles, clutching his stomach and pointing at the tangle mine as he complimented the joke. From the other mine, I could hear Bato remark, "You're definitely your father's son." I looked at Sokka, pondering all the things that happened in the past years. Sokka was born, raised, and lived in a state of fear thanks to the Fire Nation raids on our village. Even simple pleasures like having a family to enjoy time with were rare due to the constant state of emergency preparedness I had to get the village into. But now, to see my son and I laugh to the same jokes, it truly brought me a renewed sense of pride, reminding me how important my role as a family man was.

But our joy was short-lived as one of the lookout warriors rushed to me. "Hakoda, our scouts have spotted four Fire Nation ships," he reported. That got the attention of everyone as the men around me all got to their feet, waiting for the next set of orders.

I stared around me, doing a quick count of the people while strategizing more in my head. Slipping my blade back onto my waist, I turned to my best friend. "Bato, get these mines loaded up," I instructed him, knowing that the mines were crucial to our success. Turning to everyone else, I declared, "The rest of you men, prepare for battle!"

As the warriors rushed off, my gaze was on the horizon. If the Fire Nation was intent on making their final assault, then we were intent to make things very difficult for them. But before I could take another step, Sokka asked, "What should I do, Dad?"

My gaze dipped downward at the figure still kneeling on the sand. His face was droopy and his back slightly hunched. It was a scene I had seen from the day I left our village to fight in the war. Sokka was determined to tag along, but I told him to stay at the village. He was so disappointed at first that his entire body pretty much deflated. And now, knowing that there was another battle, he probably felt he would be rejected again.

But I made sure that didn't happen as I stared right into his eyes. In a clear voice, I told him, "Aren't you listening? I said the rest of you men get ready for battle." Just to make my point extra clear, I tilted my head slightly to the direction of the water.

Upon hearing my orders, I could see Sokka's face immediately light up. Nodding enthusiastically, he bounded off to the waterfront, intermingling with the other warriors as we waited for the Fire Nation fleet. It felt so awkward that my first bonding experience in years with Sokka had to be in a battle, but it felt so right at the same time. He would be our chief one day, and it was only right that I observed his skills. I must also test out his progress, just to see where he was at. As I saw him set the boats with the others, I knew this was his time to shine. "If peace was to be restored in the world, it would be up to my children and the Avatar," I decided, "They are the new blood, and they are the new hope."

Our preparation went throughout the afternoon and into the evening, just in time for the Fire Nation navy to arrive. Our watchmen announced that the naval force was at the edge of the horizon, creeping that much closer to the bay. Receiving the message, I trotted back down the beach to find my son Sokka. Even with the limited light at dusk, I could make out the figure of my son grabbing his final equipment. "Ready to go knock some Fire Nation heads?" I asked as Sokka picked up his blade and club.

"You don't know how much this means to me, Dad," Sokka replied, standing up straight and staring right into my eyes. Even with his determined tone, I could sense some hesitance in his voice, almost like he was afraid he might not live up to expectations, "I'll make you proud, and I'll finally prove to you what a great warrior I am."

Hearing that, I placed a hand on his shoulder. "Sokka, you don't have to prove anything to me. I'm already proud of you, and I've always known that you're a great warrior," I assured him. It was the least a father could do to show his pride, especially one who had been absent from his children's lives for years. I could feel a few hiccups coming as I fought back tears of joy. "Why do you think I trusted you to look after our tribe when I left?" Wrapping an arm around his shoulder, I guided Sokka to our boat.

But before we could board, a low grunt echoed from behind us. We turned just in time to see a white, furry, six-legged animal land onto the beach. On the back of the large mammal was Avatar Aang, showing us a look of fear that sent shivers up our spines. My son edged forward gingerly, looking up at him before saying, "This can't be good news."

The Avatar didn't speak as he beckoned Sokka to get on. My son paused for a moment, his eyes alternating between the Sky Bison and the boat. I stood on the plank and stared back, my face relaxing as my eyes remained neutral. "You have to do what you have to do to save the world," I announced, "In times like these, you must prioritize."

Sokka nodded gravely. Much as he would like to go on this attack with us, both he and I knew that whatever was happening at Ba Sing Se must be of utmost importance. I could only look on as Sokka boarded the bison and took off with Aang. My eyes never left them even as they sailed into the night sky, knowing that my son now had his own responsibilities. He's really growing up, I thought, he's really growing up.

________________________________________

"We've been working on a modified version of the invasion plan," I explained as my children were gathered on the deck of our ship. During our attack on the Fire Nation navy, we managed to capture one of their ships to be used as our own. Because of the way their navy was positioned in the bay, it was increasingly difficult for us to go out freely. So for us to capture one ship to be used as a disguise, it was a real blessing for us.

I kept my eyes on the Avatar, who I heard had been seriously wounded in an attack by the Fire Nation. Their fighters were craftier than I anticipated, as both the Fire Prince and Princess sneaked into Ba Sing Se undercover to weaken the Earth Kingdom capital's defences from within. I was about to continue when my daughter interrupted me. "It's Sokka's invasion plan," she stated, shooting me a dark look. Apparently, she seemed upset by something, and I made a mental note to myself to find out more later on.

"Yes, Sokka's plan," I acknowledged meekly, trying to diffuse a potentially explosive situation. Refocusing on the task at hand, I described, "We won't be able to mount a massive invasion without the Earth King's armies, but the solar eclipse will still leave the Fire Nation vulnerable." Recalling the dates that Sokka retrieved from a hidden underground library, I knew the timing had to be perfect for our attack.

To my right, the seated Sokka nodded enthusiastically. "So we're planning a smaller invasion, a ragtag team of our friends and allies from around the Earth Kingdom. We already ran into Pipsqueak and The Duke," he gestured to his right, signalling to the heavyset man wolfing down his meal and the little boy sitting on his shoulders, both of whom greeted the young Avatar. "And the best part is: the eclipse isn't even our biggest advantage. We have a secret: you!" he whispered excitedly with a hand over his mouth.

Aang seemed confused by that statement, but that soon became complete and total shock as Sokka unloaded a bomb. "The whole world thinks you're dead. Isn't that great?" he declared, shooting out from his seat and pumping his fists in the air.

Aang could only rant incoherently and paced up and down the ship, wrapping his hands on his now hairy head as he berated everyone for letting this rumour be spread. I could only look on, wondering what this young man was going through and imagining the ultimate responsibility of balancing the world on his shoulders. I was an adult, and even I had difficulty still in handling large priorities. Now, to set this onto a preteen, who barely survived with his life, still nursing his injuries, and knowing that his failure in Ba Sing Se led to our group being hunted like fugitives? It was simply too much for him.

My train of thought was shattered as a Fire Nation patrol ship crossed our path. As usual, their sailors boarded us and demanded why we were at our current location. Supposedly, all Fire Nation ships were expected to be at Ba Sing Se supporting the occupation. Bato and I tried to lie, telling them that we were making deliveries. "Next time we'll send two hawks to be sure you get the message," I stated with a smile, assuring the Fire Nation admiral of our objectives and that our presence was merely due to a miscommunication.

Fortunately, our blind earth bender Toph, whose other senses were enhanced due to her disability, overheard the Fire Nation admiral instructing his troops to sink us. Toph burst from her hiding spot and, using metal bending, the ultimate form of earth bending, crushed the plank connecting the two ships. Katara then took over, water bending a huge wave to push their ship away from us. The tidal wave slammed into the side of the enemy boat, tilting them away like a broken plank as we pressed full steam ahead.

But our troubles weren't over yet as the enemies pursued us, launching flaming projectiles at us in their attempt to send us to the bottom of Serpent's Pass. The crew and I could only focus on piloting, employing all the seamanship we learned from our past days. All male Water Tribe warriors participated in a maturation ritual known as ice dodging, where we were to navigate a ship across an iceberg-filled body of water with the help of two friends. As usual, I chose Bato as one of my assistants when I went through the ritual, and Bato, of course, chose me. But right now, those skills could not be handier as we tried to avoid the relentless attacks from the Fire Nation ship behind us. "Let's try and go faster," I muttered, tilting my head just in time to see Toph earth bend a large rock up, sending it crashing into a projectile and exploding safely in the air.

But even with the increased speed, and Katara using a modified water bending move to create steam to distract the Fire Nation crew, it was getting fruitless. The Fire Nation boat almost pulled even with us, nearly scrapping our port side and landing some good hits on us. Had it not been one of the projectiles hitting the Serpent that lived in these waters, we might not have made our escape. The long and green denizen of these waters was slammed in the face with one of the Fire Nation attacks, squealing angrily and in pain. That ended up providing enough of a distraction for us to escape, scurrying into a nearby port to pick up supplies while said Serpent coiled itself around the enemy boat. "Make sure we have everything required for the next part of our journey," I ordered my group, "Food, water, repair equipment, you name it. If it's useful, buy it up."

My Water Tribe warriors all departed, leaving Bato and I to inspect the damage on our ship. Sokka, Toph, and the others all left to get food, leaving Katara at the bottom deck healing up a still-injured Aang. "Let's make sure everything's alright," I told Bato.

By the time we were finished our work, darkness had already descended upon us. Bato and I strolled back to the main deck, still mulling over our next move when Katara burst from below and raced up to me. Sensing her emotional state, with her body shaking and breathing rate increased, Bato offered to leave us alone. Nodding, I turned to my daughter, who stared at me with helpless eyes. Even in the darkness, I could always sense the feelings portrayed by those blue pools. "What's wrong, Katara?" I asked gently.

"He left. Aang, he just took his glider and disappeared," she replied, squeezing her eyes shut and refusing to look directly at me, "He has this ridiculous notion that he has to save the world alone, and that it's all his responsibility." The wind swirling around us didn't diminish the anger and frustration that carried from Katara's voice.

I glanced at Katara glumly. I heard from Sokka that she truly cared for Aang, as she was the first person he saw since being broken out of that iceberg he was trapped in for a century. Knowing she treated Aang like a loved one, I had to calm Katara down. Trying to ease her out of the situation, I told her, "Maybe it was his way of being brave."

But that only backfired as Katara erupted into an all-out rant. "It's not brave. It's selfish, and stupid!" She roared, her big stomp forward causing the floor to resonate. "We could be helping him, and I know the world needs him, but doesn't he know how much that we need him too? How can he just leave us behind?" she concluded, the wind howling past again as I rebalanced myself from the verbal onslaught.  
After taking every word to the face, I reconsidered her position. The one she cared for the most just left her, making not only Katara, but everyone else, feel helpless. It was eerily similar to another situation, of another loved one who left Katara a few years back. "You're talking about me too, aren't you?" I responded, only returning a side glance.

"How could you leave us, Dad?" she demanded, her voice laced with hiccups. Droplets spilled from her eyes, reflecting the moonlight from her cheeks, "I know we had Gran Gran, and she loved us, but we were just so lost without you." Katara angrily wiped a tear away while referring to her grandmother, my mother, who took over parental duties for me when I left. I approached gingerly and wrapped an arm on her shoulder. When there was no negative response from Katara, I officially apologized to her.

Immediately, she collapsed into me, letting it all out as I embraced her. "I understand why you left, I really do," she sobbed, lifting her head slightly to stare at me, "I know that you had to go, so why do I still feel this way? I'm so sad, angry, and hurt."

Upon hearing this, I could feel my emotions crawling up from my stomach, threatening to spill out as well. "I love you more than anything. You and your brother are my entire world," I replied just as moisture crept through my eyelids. Shutting my eyes as the wind slammed into my back, I soothed my daughter, rubbing her back gently as I told her, "I thought about you every day I was gone. And every night, when I went to sleep, I would lie awake missing you so much that it would ache."

And the two of us would continue standing there, drinking in the love that was so absent for the last few years. It was right there that I realized I had to do something more for my family. Winning the war was one thing, but what I would give to win back the trust and respect of my children. Swallowing hard, I was determined to make it happen.

________________________________________

"Let me just clarify a few points for everyone," I announced, relieving my son of the war plan explanation duties. Being one of the chief planners of the invasion plan, it was only right that Sokka would be the one to describe our idea to all our allies. Indeed, after my children and Toph found Aang again, they decided to go off on their own for a while, scouting the Fire Nation lands before meeting up again for the invasion. During this time, my group went around the world collecting all of our former allies. Most of them were known to Sokka and Katara, and they were anxious for the main event.

But Sokka ended up stumbling badly in his explanation, almost like he was overwhelmed by the large crowd. He dropped all the maps as he was about to reveal them, and several times he flipped to the wrong one. He tried to calm himself down by going back to the beginning, and ended up going off on a tangent. To prevent further humiliation, I had to relieve him. "Today is the Day of Black Sun, and I want to thank you all for your self-sacrifice and your courage," I proclaimed, scanning the faces of the Earth Kingdom and both Water Tribes. This was truly a world effort, as everyone had to play their part for peace. After a century of battles, it was something we all longed for.

Turning back to the map, I continued, "There are two steps to the invasion: a naval stage, and a land stage." I described how we had to go through the Fire Nation naval blockade defending the Great Gates of Azulon, and stormed the beach leading to the entrance of the Fire Nation capital. "The eclipse only lasts eight minutes, not enough time for the whole invasion. And the Royal Palace is heavily guarded by fire benders, so that's where we'll need the eclipse's advantage the most. When this is finished, the Avatar would have defeated the Fire Lord. We will have control of the Fire Nation capital and this war will be over!" I finished in a flourish, raising a fist in victory.

That got the crowd all riled up as they cheered and hollered. My eyes scanned the group as they all got into battle positions, but the corner of my eye caught onto one figure that seemed down about all this. Sokka's head hung low, his face almost in tears as he refused to even look up. Realizing the problem, I made a mental note to speak to him on this issue after the invasion. You might be a bad speaker, but you're a fine warrior, son.

But my main thoughts were with executing our plans as our fleet of five ships set sail for the Great Gates of Azulon. In my lead ship, I asked Katara and her friends from the swamp to whip up cloud and fog, encasing us and giving us the cover we needed. Just as the moisture condensed onto our skins, a shrill alarm sliced through the air. Shooting our eyes to the front, we saw a net raised on either side of the statue of Azulon, father of the current Fire Lord Ozai. It reached across the ocean and onto two dragon statues at the edge of the bay. Flames shot through the netting, creating a wall of fire and blocking us. I promptly ordered everyone below deck. "Let's hope your invention works," I told Sokka.

The Fire Nation navy did not know it, but at the bottom of each of our ships was a new invention designed by Sokka, dubbed the submarine. By creating a container that let us travel underwater and be propelled via water bending, we found the perfect way to get past the guards, as the netting from the Azulon statue did not reach the sea bottom. From inside the submarine, I beamed with pride, "You've really outdone yourself this time."

Amidst Toph's moans about how this type of travel was terrible, Sokka refused to take full credit, stating it was our Mechanist friend who currently lived at the Northern Air Temple who created it. But still, the Mechanist and I both agreed that had Sokka not come up with the plan, we would never succeed. "There is one problem I couldn't fix," the Mechanist explained, unfurling Sokka's original design sheet, "The subs have a limited air supply, and before we land on the beaches, we'll need to resurface."

After a quick break on the surface, we re-entered the water, this time going nonstop for the beaches. From the lead sub, I had my eye glued to the periscope, waiting for the gates to come into sight. My heart pounded, my muscles tightened, and my eyes scanned around. This was the moment we had all been waiting for, wasn't it? Should we win this, the war would be over and we could finally go home again, knowing that the Fire Nation would no longer attack or raid us.

Just as I pondered my life after, the entrance was right in sight. There was a large fort-like pier with two large silver walls lining each side. Each wall had a red and white watch tower on top, with guards at the ready to intercept any intruders. "Everyone into positions. Earth benders, into your tanks," I barked, turning around to face the green-capped fighters behind me, "This is going to be a rough ride."

Instantly, harpoons were launched from above, trying to hook onto our subs and drag us out. Our water benders dodged and weaved around the attacking machines, ploughing straight for the gates as I ordered torpedoes to be launched. They were frozen spears with explosives in them that could explode upon contact, and could be shot out from our subs by earth benders who could manipulate the earthen elements within them. A couple shots from each ship soon made quick work of the gates as we set sail for the actual land, the water benders steering the subs hard onto the surface as the front gates of each opened. With the earth bending tanks at the ready, the invasion was about to begin.

It was sheer pandemonium as we raced towards the gate, our tanks coming under a deluge of fire. I was among the group of foot soldiers in the middle of the formation, and even though the tanks protected us from the attacks, we were still in danger. I could see our supply team drop off boulders at strategic locations, just in time for our earth benders to launch them at the watch towers. But just as the towers were disabled, in came the Fire Nation tanks, blasting their hot flames at us as the cavalry of Komodo Rhinos followed. I could see Sokka charge at one, scaling it by the horns and unseating the rider.

But I barely got enough time to admire my son's valiant effort as two Fire Nation foot soldiers charged at me. The double attack knocked my shield away, but I recovered just in time. With a quick spin move, I whipped my opponent's spear into my hands. Brandishing two weapons around, I created a circular area of defence. I disarmed a few more soldiers before hopping onto Sokka's animal, observing the scene along the way. Our troops were under heavy fire as at least one tank and the supply trunk driven by the Mechanist were blown apart. "Sokka, we've got to take out those battlements," I instructed.

But Sokka was one step ahead of me as he flagged down Katara, who had already begun an aerial assault on the watch towers. Aang chose to fly onto the capital on his new glider only, leaving the Sky Bison, now sporting a new coat of armour, for our use. Sokka and I climbed onto the large animal as we took to the skies, slashing off all the shooting mechanisms in the towers with my spear, Sokka's new black sword, and Katara's mighty water bending skills. By the time we landed onto the mountain ledge, there were only two left, one to either side of us. "You two take out that battlement," I told my kids, pointing to the one at our right, "I got this one. Watch each other's backs!" I warned, hurrying off.

I scaled the side of the tower, climbing in from the roof and ambushing the men inside. They tried to put up a fight, but my bladed club did its quick work, slashing at their bodies and throwing them to the side. But I would soon regret that move as one body landed on the explosives they were launching. The entire tower erupted into flames, with shrapnel and other debris shooting into me. Although I couldn't see it, I knew I had been cut and burned, my entire right side numb. Opening the door, I staggered out, feeling my vision blurring and the sounds of battle fading. My children rushed up to me, but my legs just gave way as my body collapsed onto the grass.

I could feel Katara and Sokka rush me onto Appa and fly me to ground level. They landed onto a quieter part of the battlefield and put me on the ground. Katara then whipped out some water, using healing abilities to apply the fluid onto the wound. I could feel the right side of my ribcage sting as she pressed her hands onto me. "You're hurt badly," I heard my daughter report to me, "You can't fight anymore."

I tried to protest, but to no avail. The pain had overtaken me as I could barely move by myself. Even with blurred vision, I could hear Sokka and Katara arguing about what had to be done. Katara assured him that she was doing all she could, but then Sokka dropped his own bombshell. "I'll lead the invasion force," he declared as he got up, "The eclipse is about to start and we need to be up that volcano by the time it does."

Hearing this, I had to say something to ensure he succeeded. "You can do this," I muttered, fighting through the cuts on my side, "I'm proud of you, son." I could only look on as Sokka climbed aboard Appa and flew off while Katara healed me. My eyes wandered to the skies above me, wondering what things would be like once we got home. My two children were now capable people in their own right. One was a warrior who could lead any army into battle, while the other was a healer who could mend the wounded. As your father, I'm proud of you, I thought, both of you.

By the time the pain subsided enough for me to at least trudge along with Katara's help, we had already made it past the final gate and onto the road heading to the volcano. It was then that the Avatar returned, informing us the palace city was empty, indicating that they had known about the invasion. Nonetheless, Aang was intent on finding the Fire Lord, even with the limited amount of time left. Even though there were some doubts on the results, I assured everyone the mission would go ahead regardless. "Everyone who's here today came prepared to risk everything for this mission," I stated.

It was decided that Aang would get Appa back, and fly himself, along with Sokka and Toph to the Fire Lord. Meanwhile, Katara and I continued lumbering up the hill. In my weakened state, I couldn't fight, but every fibre in my body told me to edge forward. We were so close to success, and I wanted to be there to enjoy it. As time ticked past, the shadow of our moon slowly draped over the sun, creating a darkened landscape where we could barely see the person before us. "The eclipse is starting," shouted the Mechanist, who survived the bombing of his truck, "Everyone put on your eclipse glasses."

Katara and I paused, slipping a hand into our clothing and pulling out a pair of dark shades. Placing them over our eyes, we turned to gaze at the sun, which was covered by a dark circle in the middle. The troops around us all clopped up the mountain, going over the crater and charging below. As Katara and I reached the edge, we glanced at the city before us. There were regular residential units and commercial shops around, but the only thing that caught my eye was the large castle with the red towers in the middle. "The Fire Nation royal palace," I commented with pride and joy, "We've come so far."

But even with the peaceful parade through town, some of our fighters were unsure of the situation. The eclipse was already halfway finished, but there were still no signs of the Avatar. Just as Katara leaned me against a tank, Bato hustled up to me. "Shouldn't something have happened by now?" he asked, his voice filled with concern.

Just as I replied, a series of Fire Nation airships took to the skies. The gargantuan dark ovals loomed ominously above us, overshadowing whatever little light the sun could give off. Nobody moved a muscle as we felt like prey being cornered by a large predator. The silence was only broken as Appa returned, with Sokka jumping off and telling us all to return to the subs while Aang and Katara provided distractions for the air fleet.

We hurried down the mountain as quickly as we could, with Bato being my crutch this time as Sokka led us out. Above us, the dark airships blocked out the lights as the earth benders kicked out chunks of rock for shelter from the aerial bombing. Soon, rock, dirt, and other debris shot through the covers as the airships bombarded us. While the rocky roof rumbled and shook, they held somewhat steady. We only exited from under them after the airships hovered past, dusting ourselves off just to see the airships heading straight for our submarines. Just then, it hit us all: our only hope of getting out safely was all but lost.

Just then, I made the biggest decision of my life. "You kids have to leave," I informed my children and the other young ones, unhooking Bato's hold of me, "You have to escape on Appa together. You're our only chance in the long run." I knew this was one sacrifice I had to make. If it meant ensuring my children's survival, plus the ensuring the hopes of the world in the Avatar remained, then I was willing to be a Fire Nation prisoner.

As we boarded our children onto Appa, the Fire Nation bombs slammed into our submarines, turning the fruits of our labour into rubble. "We've lost today, but we've never been this close," I told my children, kneeling down to stare them in the eyes as the winds slowly returned, "We tasted victory, and that counts for something."

There wasn't a single person without teary eyes as Katara and Sokka boarded the Sky Bison. Aang turned to us one last time, thanking our support and promising to make it up to us. As the large animal took off, we could only look back at the mountains. The Fire Nation troops would be down here any minute, ready to take us into their cells. I swallowed hard, realizing for better or for worse, the world was no longer in my hands.

________________________________________

"It's good to see you again, Hakoda," my friend Bato greeted me with a hug as we waited in the courtyard for the main event. We received news that the war was finally over, as the Avatar Aang managed to defeat Fire Lord Ozai in a fierce battle. Knowing that the new Fire Lord, the former Prince Zuko, was intent on reconciliation with the other nations by releasing all the prisoners of war, I half-expected Bato to show up.

"So did they let you out of the Boiling Rock?" Bato asked as we released each other, "I heard it's inescapable, so you must be released somehow, right?"

A coy grin crawled up the edges of my lips. "That depends on the definition of 'letting you out' of the prison," I replied, "The warden was with me when I left, but then again, my son Sokka was there as well…"

_"So where's Bato? Where's everyone else from the invasion?" Sokka asked me, his eyes scanning back and forth through the peephole in my cell. It was truly a surprise to see my son at the Fire Nation's supposedly impenetrable prison, the Boiling Rock, but knowing Sokka, he would have a plan to break me out of here._

_"The others are being held at a prison near the Fire Nation palace," I replied from my seated position on the hard ground. My cell had four dark walls and was only illuminated by a single fire lamp. "They singled me out as their leader and sent me here. But before I left I met some young women who said they knew you."_

_I tried recalling their name, but ended up butchering it entirely, causing a grin from Sokka as he corrected me. "Kyoshi Warriors. Their leader Suki is here," my son explained, taking a seat next to me, "And she's going to escape with us. And do you know Prince Zuko? He's here too, and he's on our side now!" Sokka concluded with a grin._

_I could only cock an eyebrow at Sokka. How could the son of the Fire Lord, heir to the throne be friends with my son, who led the very invasion to destroy his palace? But Sokka put all that to rest as he told me Zuko's story. "He's really proven himself, and I never would have found you without his help." But as he finished this, Sokka's head dipped to his knees, his eyes in the same position as when he failed his first major speech. "I don't know if there's another way off this island," he stated, recalling his first attempt to get out, and how it failed because some other prisoners got involved._

_Knowing my son and I had to work together again, I immediately patted him on the shoulder. "Sokka, there's no prison in the world that can hold two Water Tribe geniuses," I boldly declared, causing us both to burst into chuckles._

_After some careful consideration and long discussion, it was decided that we were to escape on the gondola, the same one that the Fire Nation used to bring me into here. A distraction in the form of a prison riot would be used to take the guards' attention away from the gondola. As extra insurance, we would take the warden of the Boiling Rock as our hostage onto the gondola, ensuring that the guards would not cut the line on us. "I'll have to get them to open the gates first," Sokka described, putting his Fire Nation helmet back on, "They're in lockdown mode right now, so wait until the doors are opened."_

_What seemed like an eternity passed as the doors opened again, letting me out of my cell for the last time. I wandered to the open area with the rest of the prisoners, still waiting for the so-called distraction. Sokka, who met up with and brought Suki over to me, insisted that the riot must start now. Turning around, I targeted the tallest and most likely strongest man in my corner. "I'll show you," I stated. Rushing up to him like a Komodo Rhino, I shot out my hands and shoved him into a crowd._

_But for some reason, that prisoner remained calm, claiming that he had to control his anger and refused to fight. Embarrassed, I saw a new prisoner approach Sokka. I couldn't hear what they said, but it was becoming clear that this new man with flattop hair and a goatee would provide our distraction. Picking up an older prisoner with grey hair, he yelled at the others to riot. Within seconds, fire balls shot through the air, causing the pandemonium that we hoped for. "Impressive," I commented monotonously._

_As bodies flew past, we sneaked behind a wall, observing the way to kidnap the warden. Zuko, who we were told had been taken to an interrogation room, managed to escape and catch up to us. Upon hearing that Sokka had no plan to grab the warden, the Fire Prince immediately berated him. "I thought you thought this through," he scolded._

_Upon hearing that, Sokka's reaction was more volcanic than the boiling crater. "I thought you told me it was okay not to think everything through!" Sokka wailed, his eyes bulging out and throwing his arms about at the Fire Prince. Their argument would last for a bit more until Chit Sang, the prisoner Sokka recruited, pointed at Suki, who was already on her way up the tower. Her body was a blur, her stealth and balance, the result of years of training in the Kyoshi fighting style, allowed her to scale it with ease._

_After tying the warden's hands and gagging his mouth, we hurried onto the tower where the gondola station was. Most of the guards didn't dare to attack us as their own supervisor was in our hands. Zuko told us to board the gondola as he worked the controls on the ground, trying to get the machine started. From my position on the side closer to the station, I could see Zuko kicking the handlebar until it snapped, letting the metallic wire uncoil freely and letting us off the prison. He finally got on himself when he made sure no one would follow, boarding the ride with a gravity-defying leap. As Sokka helped him on, the Fire Prince justified his actions. "I'm making it so they can't stop us."_

_I could hear Sokka commenting on Zuko's ability to think ahead. A small smile curled up onto my face at that remark. While my son was an able warrior with a brain to match, the Fire Prince won the battle of getting results from a plan. You still have much to learn, I thought as I turned back to observe the exterior. I could see the guards all get to their knees and bowed to a young woman in a black and dark red, modified version of the Fire Nation military uniform "Wait, who's that?" I demanded, pointing at her._

_Zuko took a gander, and instantly identified them as his sister and her friend. In seconds, the smaller girl in a pink belly shirt scaled the top wire and charged at us. The Fire Princess, on the other hand, grabbed a set of handcuffs from the closest guard and propelled onto the bottom wire. Using blue flames jetting from her feet, she hooked the cuffs onto the wire and used it to shoot herself towards us. I could only stare in awe at the mighty power of the fire benders. No wonder we had so much difficulty against them._

_Zuko and Suki climbed out of our cab and onto the roof. Sokka soon followed, telling Chit Sang and I to keep an eye on the warden. Chit Sang and I raced to the gondola's either side, trying to get an upward view. There was no wind to speak of, the volcano's thick steam smothering the outside air. It meant all the sounds of battle could be heard, including swishing swords, the whoosh of fire, and the stomping of feet trying to stay balanced. The whole cab shook and rumbled during the fight, causing Chit Sang and I to hold the bars, neither one paying attention to the warden standing between us._

_That proved to be costly as the cruel old man managed to wriggle free from his binds. Ripping the gag on his mouth, he stuck his head out the side and ordered his men on the station to cut the line. Chit Sang finally caught on and grabbed the warden while I tried to tie him back up again, but it was too late. I could feel the gondola screeching to a halt, our balance thrown off due to momentum grinding down. Amidst the sounds of scratches coming from the station, I could see the two Fire Nation girls hop onto a cab coming from the other side. "I hope this thing floats," I told the kids as they returned._

_But as sudden as the halting of the gondola was, it unexpectedly started up again. Zuko was the first to charge to the opening, staring out in shock as he reported on the progress. "It's Mai," he gasped. I got over just in time to see a dark-haired young lady in a dark red robe disabling the guards with sharp projectiles. We watched this all the way to the top, our gondola entering the outside station as we reached our safety._

_We hurried out of the cab, rushing as far away from the station as possible. I signalled to Chit Sang to toss the warden back into the gondola. Glancing at the nasty, arrogant individual who taunted me when I first arrived, I made sure to take a shot at his so-called perfect record. The old man claimed nobody had escaped from the Boiling Rock under his watch. "Sorry warden, your record is officially broken," I announced._

Bato chuckled over the story, marvelling at the ingenuity Sokka and I showed. I also beamed, basking in the warm sun as I realized my freedom had been achieved all thanks to our hard work. But just then, two teenage voices interrupted my thought. I turned just in time to see my children rush up to me. Katara seemed healthy and in good shape, but Sokka hobbled over with a crutch. Seeing my pride and joy advance forward to me, I couldn't help but pull them into an embrace as well. "I heard what you two did," I told them, "I am the proudest father in the world, and your mother would be proud too."

A large gong banged to signal the entrance of the Fire Lord, its sounds echoing through the members of different nations as we cheered the scarred young man. Zuko took centre stage, acknowledging the crowd before giving way to Aang, who he dubbed the real hero. "A hundred years of fighting has left the world scarred and divided, but with the Avatar's help, we can get it back on the right path," Zuko announced.

We watched the final headpiece placed onto Zuko's head, officially making him Fire Lord Zuko. Applause erupted as Zuko embarked on this new journey to reunite the world. For me, this coincided with my own reunification, one with my own family. After so many years, I finally realized what it truly meant to be a father. Not only did I see my own children grow up, they also surpassed me in their abilities and spirit. It was perhaps the right time for me to let go, and let them take the lead in rekindling our Southern Water Tribe with the other nations. After all, with these young ones, there was no shortage of ideas, and the world was truly in their hands. As my eyes alternated from my children to Aang and Zuko stepping towards us, I had only one thing in my mind.

My name is Hakoda. That was my story. Those were my rites of passage.


	3. Yue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Each character grows up with a set of experiences unique to themselves. Watch each person describe what went through their minds and how they changed as they reacted to the world. These are their stories, these are their rites of passage.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: Michael DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko own Avatar.

Large drums sounded off into the night, the low-pitched bangs echoing off the snow-covered walls of our banquet area. Above, only the moon illuminated the dark night sky, signifying a sense of mystery, but also harmony as people clad in blue sat around a large fountain. Behind it, walls of water and several stone pillars stood on guard as a variety of food was brought to the centre for everyone to see.

Finally, a man wearing a large blue parka stood up to address our people. There was a necklace made of various stones and animal teeth around his neck, emphasizing his authority at the chief of the Northern Water Tribe. In a wise but husky voice, Arnook announced, "Tonight, we celebrate the arrival of our brother and sister from the southern tribe," he gesture to his left. At the end of the front table were two teenage figures, one male and one female, also wearing the traditional blue parkas of the Water Tribes. They smiled nervously at the guests, somewhat hesitant in meeting their fellow water benders from the other side of the world. Given that water benders either lived in the North Pole or the South Pole, the two tribes rarely interacted thanks to the sheer distance between us.

Arnook beamed as he turned to the people again. "And they have brought with them someone very special, someone whom many of us believed disappeared from the world until now: the Avatar." He gestured to the young boy sitting directly to his left. He was bald, had a blue arrow tattooed up his skull, and had a childish grin. Despite his great duty to the world, I could tell that his was still very much a fun-loving boy. 

Arnook signalled for the crowd to simmer as they erupted into cheers for Avatar Aang. As the noise died down, he made one final declaration. "We also celebrate my daughter's sixteenth birthday." With that, he stepped slightly to the side to allow two ladies-in-waiting escort me into the foreground. "Princess Yue is now of marrying age!" 

"Thank you, father," I nodded, smiling at the man who raised me all these years. Facing the audience, I proclaimed, "May the great Ocean and Moon spirits watch over us during these troubled times." Those two spirits were of utmost importance to our tribe, and rarely did we begin any celebration without giving thanks to them. 

As my father brought the crowd's attention to a performance giving by Master Pakku, the lead water bending instructor in our tribe, I took a seat to the far left of the front table. My mind wasn't on the performance as Pakku and two of his students took the water from three containers and did all sorts of amazing and beautiful tricks with them. There were still some issues on my mind regarding this coming of age ritual, and I was intent on thinking a few things through after this quiet dinner with the Avatar. 

However, my peace and quiet was interrupted by the teenage male Southern Water Tribe member, who was swallowing when I seated myself next to him. Glancing sideways at me, he immediately took a nonchalant pose. "Hi there, Sokka, Southern Water Tribe," he greeted, forced calmness and informality covering his anxious interior. 

I accepted his greeting, telling him that it was a pleasure to meet him. He paused for a minute, his eyes wandering a bit, almost like he was fumbling with his thoughts. Maybe it was because he had never seen someone resembling my appearance before. Not every Water Tribe teenager had snow white hair and light-coloured eyes, so did my face surprise him? "So, uh, you're a princess, huh?" he stuttered, gesturing melodramatically at his every word, "You know, back in my tribe, I'm kind of like a prince myself." 

Immediately, his sister jumped on him, challenging his prince-like authority. Sokka immediately shot her down, trying to stay on topic with me. As Katara bowed to him sarcastically, I could imagine the fun times they must have had when they were younger. The Southern Water Tribe, on first impression, seemed to be looser in their people's everyday relations with each other. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case here, as being the princess meant formality every day. Not to mention with a certain condition that I had and I simply did not have the luxury to enjoy myself like this. Part of me told me to stay on course, remain formal and behave well before my people like any good princess should, but another part of me envied my counterparts' informal ways, and urged me to drop the formalities and join in on the fun with them. 

Turning back to me, Sokka glanced at me with a slightly mischievous look in his eye. "It looks like I'm going to be in town for a while. I'm thinking maybe we could, do an activity together?" he asked, both anticipating and fretting my response. That actually got a laugh out of me, as Sokka's nervous insides spilled out into the open. "Do an activity?" I parroted, cocking an eyebrow at him. That got him noticing the awkwardness of his phrase, as he turned back to the table and gobbled up more food. He no longer looked at me, hoping to avoid further embarrassment while Katara took another side-swipe at him. Chuckling and shaking my head, I turned to begin my meal as well. It might only be a few minutes, but I felt I was truly going to enjoy Sokka's presence. 

________________________________________ 

"Don't worry, I'm not going to hurt you," I could hear Pakku say in a somewhat sarcastic voice as he manipulated water from nearby. His arms flowed gracefully through the air, almost like the waves flowed with his movement as he created a large vortex of water surrounding himself and his opponent. Knowing how seriously Pakku took water bending, we knew that it was a battle where his world-class skills would be showcased. 

But to my surprise, the battle wasn't against an enemy fighter, nor was he trying to discipline a disobedient student. In fact, I could not believe my ears when Sokka told me who was fighting. "Katara is with him inside that thing," he mumbled. 

By now, a number of people had gathered on the stairway leading to Pakku's training grounds. Along with Aang and Sokka, there were a few elderly men curious to see who was challenging the master. There were also some ladies who paused their chores to get a look, and some young ones eager for action trotted up as well. "Master Pakku ticked off my sister when he refused to teach water bending to her, and because Aang tried to teach it behind his back, the master now banished Aang from his lessons as well," Sokka explained, hugging Katara's parka tightly against his chest. Small beads of sweat formed from his temple, his body slightly shivering not so much out of cold but of nervousness as he continued, "And now Katara insists on showing her skill with a duel." 

Katara shot one arm sideways, flinging the circling water to the side. I dodged just in time to avoid the hit, but Sokka the clueless one got it in the face. The cool liquid slammed into him so hard that he was sent a few steps up the stairs. Sensing the danger, I quickly ushered the people away while the water froze, allowing Katara to slide up and balance herself onto a pillar on the bottom of the stairs. 

Master Pakku would not let up as he sent another wave at Katara, who retaliated by freezing her feet onto the pillar and holding her ground. "I guess I should apologize for not telling you earlier," I told Sokka as we took a few steps higher, "We have rather strict guidelines for who can learn what types of water bending. Fighting styles were for the men only, while women did water healing arts. And because of my situation, I have no training in water bending, so my knowledge on these techniques is very limited." 

A quick squeezing motion from Katara's arms caused the water around her to stop and drop to the snowy ground. Just as Katara defiantly told Pakku that she would not be knocked down, Sokka turned back to me. I could feel his sturdy gaze observe me, all the cheers for Katara from the people around us becoming slurs as he asked, "It's about last night, isn't it? Are you still uncomfortable with that?" 

I turned away from Sokka, refusing to look at him as Katara was dumped head-first into a large water pool. I still had regrets about the way I handled the issue when Sokka insisted that we got to know each other better. Last night, Sokka met me on one of the bridges overlooking our canals at my request. He even brought a wooden carving of a fish, which I thought resembled a bear more. But while I knew he meant well, I realized the meeting was no longer appropriate, and I left him immediately. I knew I caused him a lot of embarrassment and frustration, but there was no way I could explain to him without hurting him even more. Sighing, I lifted my head back up, just in time for Katara to form an ice pillar. The crowd's chants were deafening as she made thin slices, their edges sharper than any blade as she flung them at Pakku with alarming accuracy. 

Despite putting Pakku on edge for a while, the experience factor soon reared its head as the old master regained the upper hand. Twice Katara tried to advance on Pakku, and twice the older man blew her back. The first was with a vicious wave, and the next time with a sliding snowdrift that cut Katara's legs from under her. I winced each time this teenager, similar to me in age and position, got thrown about like a lone canoe in a winter storm. Given that she was Chief Hakoda's daughter, it would mean she was like a princess of sorts, and Sokka a prince. So Sokka wasn't exactly lying when we first met, I thought, he is an heir since he will become a chief should his father pass away. 

But Princess Katara was not in the best of shape. The collision was so great that her body was flipped into the air before landing hard onto the snow. The landing was so violent that her hair became undone, and a small blue necklace fell from her neck. I could only gasp as Katara struggled to her feet with great difficulty. We might be similar in so many ways, but we were also very different. Here in the north, the very thought of having a female learn to use, let alone battle with water bending in a war was taboo. There were strict roles in our society, and nobody dared to challenge these customs. But to see our two southern counterparts be so defiant, not only rebelling against the traditions, but were intent on using them to save the world? It was something completely new to me. Even as princess, my expectations were nothing more than to help my future husband, and likely new chief, with running our tribe. But now, seeing Katara show us that she was intent on actively making a difference in this war, it really made me rethink what I could offer. 

The battle finally ended when Pakku created several icicles and hurled them in Katara's direction, trapping her body completely and not allowing her to move. As water was dynamic, the crux of water bending was based on movement. Without it, Katara was no longer a threat. As Pakku strolled off, his eyes fell on the necklace Katara dropped. "I made this sixty years ago," he stated, his tone becoming softer, "for the love of my life." 

The only sounds from the training grounds were the gentle splashes of the nearby waters as Katara identified her grandmother Kanna as the original owner, and that Katara inherited it from her. "I carved this necklace for your grandmother when we got engaged. I thought we would have a long, happy life together. I loved her," Pakku reminisced. 

"But she didn't love you, did she?" Katara responded, no longer trapped in icicles or showing animosity towards Pakku, "It was an arranged marriage. Gran Gran wouldn't let your tribe's stupid customs run her life. That's why she left." 

I could feel warm tears ready to burst through my eyes upon hearing this. It truly showed the courage Katara and Sokka had to face the world like this, but it also showed my own cowardice. Arranged marriage was a common thing at the Northern Water Tribe and almost all young adults married this way. It didn't matter whether one loved another, for as long as both families agreed to have their children married off, then the children would not get a say. How could I, a princess, claim to help lead my tribe when I couldn't even match Katara? Sobbing hard, I hurried off, hoping no one could catch up. 

I ran as quickly as I could, our snowy town nothing but a blur to me as my heart pounded on my ribs. I didn't stop until I reached the bridge that Sokka and I met the night before. Gripping the railing, I took deep breaths, the cold air entering me and presented a soothing feeling which calmed me down. I had a flurry of thoughts go through my mind, and it only crossed my boundaries even more as I weighed my personal feelings against the duties I had to my tribe. Of all the times to be mixed up, why must it be now? I could feel some tears edging down my cheeks, the moisture cooling upon contact and mixing into the two white hair braids dangling from either side of my face. 

I soon lost track of the time as nightfall dawned on our town. Darkness soon crept around me as the streets and canal became quieter. The silence allowed me to hear the shuffling of snow boots coming up to me, and immediately I recognized it was Sokka. "What do you want from me?" I demanded, my emotions threatening to shoot through. 

Sokka assured me that he meant no harm, and that he understood the situation. "You're a princess, and I'm just a southern peasant," he stated, his tone neither angry nor eager, "It's okay, you don't have to say anything. I'll see you around, okay?" 

But before he could leave, I grabbed him and spun him around. Getting a good look at those beautiful blue eyes of his, I locked my lips onto his, drinking in his warm breath as we savoured the kiss under the nearly full moon. By the time I released him, I could see the confused but slightly happy expression on his face. "I do like you a lot, but we can't be together, and not for the reason you think," I clarified for him. 

Sokka cocked an eyebrow, still unsure of what happened. That was when I decided to show the secret to him, the one that had caused me all this guilt. "It's because I'm engaged." I pulled down my collar to show him my own betrothal necklace. It was the symbol between two individuals marrying each other, as identical necklaces would be made for the couple to wear. "I'm sorry." I hiccupped one last time before racing off. 

________________________________________ 

"You hanging on tight?" Sokka asked me in a mischievous tone. Like the last few mornings, I had been seeing my friend from the south. We talked about the experiences we had while growing up in our different tribes, and it was through this that I found out about the huge differences in culture. While the Northern Water Tribe was filled with rich history and culture, the Southern Water Tribe was very different. Its establishments were very scattered, and thanks to constant attacks from the Fire Nation, its buildings were not exactly in the best of shape. Given that they were in constant need of help, there was a part of my mind telling me to request my father to send over some of our people. 

But that's where my positive thoughts of the day ended, as I kept thinking how wrong it was for me to see Sokka even though I was engaged. He was such a gentleman, only caring if I was happy or had a good time. It was like the fiancé wasn't even a factor to him. And to further prove to me that he cared, he invited me to ride on Aang's large Sky Bison. He glanced at me with that half-grin and that distinctive twinkle in his eye as he grabbed the reins, waiting anxiously for my answer. 

Taking a deep breath, I finally nodded. Turning to face the front again, Sokka commanded Appa in a suspenseful voice, "Yip...yip!" 

With a low groan, the bison took to the skies, speeding away from the palace as we gained altitude in a hurry. My stomach churned in nervousness, but also in excitement as I experienced flight for the first time in my entire life. The view was magnificent as our snow-covered buildings glistened against the sun, white walls and houses whipping past as nothing but ocean lied before us. In the sky, it was like Sokka and I were truly free from all the troublesome expectations of our lives. "Wow, I can't believe you do this every day," I marvelled, looking down to see our hunters and fishermen navigate around the icebergs in the water, "Is it always this cold in the sky?" I asked, leaning into Sokka. 

Sokka didn't reply, but I could see from the side of his face that he was just as confused as me. I felt deep down that Sokka realized the consequences of our current situation, but he was trying hard to keep his emotions bottled in too. There was no sound, not even from the wind as he slowly tilted his head back towards me. "Not when you're with someone," he replied, leaning closer and letting me see those beautiful blue eyes. 

Suddenly, I couldn't feel the cold anymore. Heck, I couldn't even observe my surroundings as Sokka was the only thing in my vision. It was beautiful up here, and it wasn't just due to the sights. It was like the spirits took over as we feel ourselves drift closer to each other, our lips slightly parting as that déjà vu moment returned again. 

But we snapped away from each other's eyes just in time to notice the scenario. Pulling away, Sokka quickly changed the subject, avoiding what would have been a total disaster had anyone found out. "Good times, good times," he muttered, grabbing onto the reins again to control Appa's movements. Beside him, I could only sigh. Were we going to be a couple that could never be together due to our different customs? 

The thought was quickly erased from my mind as Appa flew into a cloud of dark particulates. The entire air reeked of a burnt smell as we looked around to see if there was a fire. "Oh no," Sokka mumbled, pointing to the front, "We have to warn everybody." 

Immediately he yanked on the reins, turning Appa around and going full speed ahead for the palace again. I kept glancing over my shoulder as ominous black shapes had begun to make their way past the horizon and into view. I stayed silent as I looked at Sokka, who had a determined expression on his face as he steered Appa back onto the land. 

Dismounting quickly, he picked up a nearby clump of snow, now contaminated with the dark materials. "I've seen it before, right before my village was attacked. It is soot mixed with snow," he explained, his voice monotonous and serious, "It's the Fire Nation. They've closed in on the North Pole, and from the looks of this stuff, I'd say there's a lot of them." He gestured to the sky, which was now pitch-black. 

We quickly flew Appa back into the animal pens and raced to the central palace. The war drums had already sounded, signalling that my father Arnook demanded for an emergency meeting with the most capable warriors and war planners to deal with the incoming threat. Sokka and I were halfway up the stairs when I had to break it to him. "I can't see you anymore," I told him, halting our ascending, "not at all." 

"What? We're just friends!" Sokka exclaimed, waving his arms in frustration. As he did that, it only made me feel guiltier, as I realized that my feelings were not like the way he described: friends. No, somewhere, deep inside, I felt something more. 

I turned my head to the side, trying to avoid those blue orbs, which now zeroed in on me. From my lower position on the staircase, it was almost like I shrunk to the size of a rodent. "I wish we could just be friends, but I like you too much, and it's too confusing to be around you," I revealed the truth to him. The past few days, I had truly enjoyed his company, as he treated me not for my status as princess but for who I really was. Turning around completely, I reiterated to him, "I'm marrying someone else!" 

But even without facing Sokka, I could imagine the look on his face when he retorted in a disappointed tone, "You don't love him, do you?" 

"But I do love my people," I responded, lifting my head. The incoming black cloud now covered the entire horizon, and the Fire Nation navy wouldn't be far away. "I have duties to my father and tribe," I finally faced him, tilting up to see his face entirely. The glum look pained me so much, but I must push on. "I have to do this. Goodbye!" With that, I raced off, charging up the rest of the stairs and leaving Sokka in his wake. 

________________________________________ 

"The legends say the moon was the first water bender. Our ancestors saw how it pushed and pulled the tides and learned how to do it themselves," I explained as we gazed over the ocean from the safety of the water palace. The Fire Nation, as expected, launched their initial attack on us, sending several flaming boulders through our walls and damaging various parts of our town. Thanks to the Avatar, who managed to disable some of their ships, it bought us some time to regroup and re-strategize. 

Right now, the Fire Nation navy, led by Admiral Zhao, laid siege to our tribe, and although the attacks paused for the night, it was bound to continue as the sun rose again. "Our strength comes from the spirit of the moon, while our life comes from the spirit of the ocean. They work together to keep balance," I told Aang and Katara, who watched the temporarily tranquil scene before me. Even with the Avatar, it was of no use, as the Fire Nation ships were too strong, and there were too many of them. We knew that unless there was some assistance from somewhere, the Fire Nation would launch their assault again in the morning. While water benders received strength from the moon, fire benders relied on the sun, and by morning, we could expect the ferocity of their attack to increase. 

But right now, the main thing that we needed was to get Aang some guidance, hopefully to restore his lost confidence and allowed him to fight against the Fire Nation again. I leaned on the railing, mulling through the possibilities when the bald boy shot up suddenly. "Maybe I can find them and get their help?" he suggested. 

Katara stepped up, explaining that the Avatar was the bridge between the real world and the spirit world. "The only problem is, last time you got to the spirit world by accident. How are you going to get there this time?" she asked. 

Immediately, I had an idea. Leading Aang and Katara out the back of the palace, I took them to a small garden. There, a small wooden door, hidden away from the central area, awaited them. I told them it was the most spiritual place in the North Pole, and that it might help Aang reach the spirit world. Unlocking the gate, I pulled it open with a creak. I let Aang and Katara enter first before I entered, closing the door behind me. 

Aang charged forward excitedly as the sound of a waterfall greeted us. It flowed right behind a small gazebo, which was surrounded by green grass and shrubs. And right in front of the small structure, a pond with unfrozen water beckoned us, the climate there resembling spring more than the frozen ice fields we were used to. As Aang rolled happily in the grass, Katara commented how warm it was there. 

"It is the centre of all spiritual energy in our land," I replied as Katara removed her parka, leaving her in her usual blue tunic. I was about to say more when I saw Momo, the lemur that traveled with Aang and his friends, dipping a paw into the pond and stirred the water. Immediately, I charged up and glared at it, not impressed by that move. I never revealed it to the Avatar and his friends yet, but the spiritual energy of the Northern Water Tribe came from this very pond. And given my personal history, it had particular importance to me as well, so the last thing we needed was Momo disturbing the peace. 

By the time we got the lemur away, Aang already sat himself before the pond. Closing his eyes, he formed fists and pressed his knuckles together, forming a perfect meditation pose before the pond. We gently tread around the pond, my eyes glancing into the tranquil water, just in time to see two shadows arriving to the centre and circling each other. This was the symbol of balance, as the white fish, the mortal form of the Moon Spirit, would follow the black fish, the mortal form of the Ocean Spirit, and vice versa. Hopefully, with this spirituality, the Avatar could get the help he sought. 

But nothing seemed to be happening as Aang sat there, unmoving and silent. I glanced around nervously, trying to listen to any strange sounds from around us as Aang continued his attempt to enter the spirit world. We wanted Aang to have as much time as he needed, but also had to watch out for any disturbances, just to keep him safe. "He's meditating, trying to cross over into the spirit world," Katara described as we positioned ourselves behind him, trying to stay as quiet as possible. "It takes all his concentration." 

From the moonlight, I could see the Avatar twitch a little. Sensing his great difficulty, I turned to Katara and ask, "Is there any way we can help?" 

That only got Aang even more frustrated as he erupted on us, demanding that we remained silent. "Come on, guys! I can hear every word you're saying!" he shouted, whipping his head around as his grey eyes flashed with anger. 

By the times things calmed down again, Aang's head tilted towards the centre of the pool. The two fish circling around suddenly got the Avatar's attention, and within minutes the blue arrow tattoos glowed brilliantly. That was when Katara told me that it was working, and that we should not move his body during this time. "That's his way back to the physical world," she told me, adding that she would protect him until he returned. 

But not another word was uttered when we got interrupted, by the one person Katara had no intention of seeing again. Dressed in a light red runic and sporting a large scar over one eye, it was Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation. "Hand him over, and I won't have to hurt you," he threatened, both his normal and scarred eyes narrowing to darts. 

Katara signalled me to go seek help while she fended Zuko off. In my mind, I could only think of reaching our warriors, maybe even Sokka, as sounds of battle raged behind me. I forced the outside cold air into my lungs, causing some pain in my chest as I went from warm paradise to icy battleground. My heart pounded like the war drums that sounded off this morning as I could hear Katara doing everything she could to prevent Aang from being taken. Fire lit up the night sky, only to be smothered by water, creating a huge smokescreen that hovered above the holy site. Forcing my legs to move faster, I churned to the village, with thoughts of uncertainty swirling in my mind. Using the moon as my guide, I could only hope that the Fire Nation did not disturb our spirits in that pond, as I shuddered to think what might happen should Tui and La be harmed. 

________________________________________ 

"We have to get to the oasis. The spirits are in trouble!" Aang declared as we freed him from the binds on his body. By the time I returned to Katara with Sokka on Appa after Zuko attacked, we found out that the Fire Prince kidnapped Aang from the pond while he was still in meditation. Katara told us that the rising sun empowered the fire bending techniques, which overwhelmed her and left Aang unattended. 

But thanks to a freak blizzard, we believed that Zuko couldn't have gotten far, and Sokka decided to use Appa on an aerial search for Aang. The location was revealed to us when Aang, on his return from the spirit world, shot his spirit through the dark sky and back into his body, pinpointing his exact location. When we landed, Aang had already been awoken, and Katara made quick work of Zuko thanks to the moon's presence and the abundance of snow. But despite untying Aang, the young Avatar refused to leave with Zuko. "If we leave him, he'll die," Aang insisted, pulling the Fire Prince onto Appa. 

We could only look on as Aang steered Appa back to the village, all the while we kept our eyes on Zuko. I truly wondered what the Avatar was thinking with this move. Why would he so willingly rescue the very person who tried to kill him? My eyes did not leave the bald boy sitting in the front as I tried to make sense of it all. He had a duty to the world, and that meant caring for everyone, even those from the Fire Nation. "It's kind of like my duty to my people, I guess," I murmured, hoping nobody heard me. 

But my personal thoughts soon became interrupted as my mind was overtaken by dizziness. The skies around me were a blur, but I could make out the colour of the moon. Instead of being bright and clear, an ominous red hue glazed over it. "I feel faint," I told Sokka, gripping my head as he checked on me. The dimming moonlight probably prevented Sokka from seeing at least a dozen creases spread across my usually smooth face. Meanwhile, my inside energy churned maliciously, threatening to sap my consciousness away. 

The Avatar agreed, stating that he believed the Moon spirit was in trouble. "I owe the Moon Spirit my life," I explained, finally revealing to the one I loved my personal history, "When I was born, I was very sick, and very weak. Most babies cry when they were born, but I was born as if I were asleep. My eyes were closed." 

There was complete silence on the Sky Bison as several pairs of eyes descended on me. Taking a deep breath, I continued, "Our healers did everything they could. They told my mother and my father I was going to die. My father pleaded with the spirits to save me," I paused, moistening my lips as I reached the most important part: the oasis' significance to me. "That night, underneath the full moon, they brought me to the oasis and placed me in the pond. My dark hair turned white, I opened my eyes and began to cry, and they knew I would live. That's why my mother named my Yue, for the moon." 

I could feel the stares of curiosity turn into sombreness as they understood my past. Given that I was the princess of the Northern Water Tribe, and that I received my first breath of life from the spirits, they understood why my duties were so important to me, to the point where I was willing to sacrifice my personal wants for them. Sensing the importance of the battle, they assured me they would do all they could to help me. 

But by the time we landed back at the oasis, it was surrounded by Fire Nation soldiers. And in the centre of the group was the commander Sokka identified: Admiral Zhao. There was a dark bag in one hand, the objects it contained tossing and writhing as Zhao gloated of his achievement as being the first man ever to blacken the moon. Each of us, except for the unconscious Zuko, charged out ready to attack. When Zhao heard us land behind him, he grimaced. "Don't bother," he snarled, holding a fist to the bag. 

Immediately, we eased up, with Aang pleading to Zhao. But it was to no avail, as the fiery and arrogant man refused to back down. "It's my destiny to destroy the moon and the water tribe," he uttered, venom dripping from his every word. 

Aang, realizing the precarious situation, tried to reason with him some more. "Destroying the moon won't just hurt the water tribe. It will hurt everyone, including you," he explained calmly, "Without the moon, everything would fall out of balance. You have no idea what kind of chaos that would unleash on the world." 

Just then, an older man, also of the Fire Nation, stepped out from the background. Zhao identified him as General Iroh, and accused him of being a traitor. But in a sagely voice, Iroh agreed with Aang, stating that the moon was important to the Fire Nation too. "Whatever you do to that spirit, I'll unleash on you tenfold. Let it go now!" Iroh roared. 

After what seemed like an eternity, Zhao finally relented and released the two fish Tui and La back into the pond. Those few minutes were the most intense of my entire life, my heart nearly shattered my sternum and shot out of my chest. Zhao crouched before the pond as the two fish swam back into position, but his body shook involuntarily, like something had taken over him. Suddenly, Zhao's infamous anger took over. In one swift motion, the flame blade glowing from his fiery arm sliced across the pond and into the water. I tried to call out, reaching forward in whatever futile attempt to stop him, but it was to no avail. Everything slowed down as we could see the white-coloured fish, Tui, taking the brunt of the hit. As the fire dissipated, that one fish was no longer moving. 

Instantly, General Iroh unleashed his own barrage of fire, fighting off the Fire Nation soldiers blocking his way as Zhao sneaked out of the oasis. Amidst the confusion, we charged to the pond, our eyes never leaving the floating body of Tui. My lips quivered non-stop as we hoped every second that it wasn't as bad as it seemed, and that the fish would pop back to normal and start swimming in a circle with La again. The Fire Nation soldiers were already on the retreat, after facing that ferocious attack from the old man. 

Iroh finally approached us and plucked the fish out of the water. Holding it in both his hands, he showed us the grim picture. There wasn't a single bit of life left in the spirit as it laid motionless in the Fire Nation general's palms. Choking with emotion, I could only stutter, "There's no hope now. It's over!" With that, I collapsed into Sokka's arms, letting my tears flow freely as Sokka held me in a supportive embrace. 

Suddenly, Aang's tattoos glowed again. In a strange voice that sounded like many people were speaking at once, he insisted that it was not over. We froze in horror as Aang stepped into the pond, standing directly before La and posing in meditation again. Katara tried to flag him down, only to be stopped by General Iroh. Because Tui, who represented the moon, was killed, there was no longer any moonlight. But the area was anything but pitch-black as Aang's Avatar State illuminated the entire pond, lighting up the water and the fish in it. It was truly the most unusual thing I had ever seen. 

Then, it happened. In one swift motion, Aang was sucked into the water, making the liquid glow brighter than ever as the lights reflected off every wall and pillar of our palace below. It was nearly as bright as day as the strange coloured water flowed from the oasis and into our canals, leading straight into our ocean. Our mouths dropped and our eyes widened in fascination, not even blinking once as a large figure was formed from the water. It had the face of a koi, but the body of a human; and in the centre of this was Aang, possessed by La. Then, it hit me: it was the true from of the Ocean Spirit, and after seeing the death of its companion, it was intent on driving out the Fire Nation. 

________________________________________ 

Even as the sounds of battle raged on, there was relative silence at the oasis. We knew that La's true form, now in control of the Avatar, was battling the Fire Nation outside. Splashes and rumbles of violent waves echoed through the tribe as the spirit tore through the Fire Nation navy, but to us, no matter how great our victory over the Fire Nation would be, it was meaningless. Nobody spoke as Iroh placed the lifeless body of Tui back into the water. "It's too late," Katara stated, "It's dead." 

Iroh pursed his lips, almost like guilt was overwhelming him due to what his own countrymen did. But Iroh's thoughts were the least on my concern, as I weighed my options in my mind. While it was true that the Moon Spirit had died, it wasn't the case that there was no life left in the moon. Part of the moon's life force was in me, when it granted me my first breath. So maybe it was only right that I took action here. It was the least I could do, as a princess, to serve my people, and to an extent, save the world. 

This fact was not unnoticed by the observant and wise former Fire Nation general. "You have been touched by the Moon Spirit," Iroh commented, "Some of its life is in you." And as he said this, three pairs of eyes descended onto me, each with different emotion. Iroh's steady gaze remained thoughtful and curious, Katara's eyes anxiously flickered a bit, while Sokka seemed almost fearful of what was about to transpire. 

"Yes, you're right. It gave me life," I nodded, agreeing with Iroh. Swallowing hard, I made the most difficult decision for the world, "Maybe I could give it back." I concluded, my eyelids closing as tears threatened to spill out. Not a sound was heard as I made my announcement, as everyone realized one person would not survive this war. 

Sokka's eyes increased to the size of the darkened moon. "No, you don't have to do that!" he exclaimed, grabbing my arm just as I reached for the fish. The tense tug on my sleeve was enough to halt my progress as I could feel Sokka's gaze bore into me. He truly cared for me, even as we neared the end. Part of me did wish to stay, and return the kind gestures he did for me. After all that he did, how could I hurt him like this? 

But I could not just stand by idly and watch the Fire Nation destroy the balance of the world, and let La continue its destructive path. "It's my duty, Sokka," I replied, my head turned away from him as the tears threatened to explode out the same way water in our canals did when the Fire Nation destroyed our dykes, "I have to do this." 

Amid Sokka's cries that he had an obligation to my father that he would protect me, I asked General Iroh to pull Tui out of the water again. I could feel Sokka's gloved hand ease out of mine as I reached for the Moon Spirit. Every memory of my life, from my sickness-plagued infancy, to my childhood as a princess, now to my maturing years as a nearly-grown woman, shot through my mind. My father, being a tribal chief, always told me the responsibilities I had to serve my people, and sometimes it meant making a few sacrifices. But for the sake of the Water Tribes, and the entire world, I was about to sacrifice the most important thing. I was about to give them my life. 

The raging sounds of battle were slurs, the scenery around me a blur, and the smells of nature in this oasis irrelevant as I placed my hands on the white koi. My eyes were peeled for any signs of life as a bright glow transmitted from my hands onto the wet, scaly skin. As this occurred, I felt fainter and weaker, every muscle in my body about to give way. But I pressed on nonetheless, my mind only on reviving the dead fish. 

Within minutes, the deed was done, as Tui's muscles twitched under my fingers. With a soft sigh, my legs finally collapsed and my eyes closed, the world becoming pitch black. But light re-emerged into my vision again as I could feel General Iroh place Tui back into the pond. The fish swam in a lively way as my spirit ascended from the water, my body now becoming part of the moon spirit. Instead of the usual flesh and blood, I was now glowing white, my body floating like feathers as I faced the one person other than my parents who cared for me the most. Sokka was on one knee, his lips quivering involuntarily while trying to make sense of the scene. I could tell that he was shocked by my departure from the physical world, too hurt to speak even though the world was saved. 

Sensing his sadness, I had to reassure him one last time before I took on my new duties. "Goodbye, Sokka," I told him, leaning my body into him, "I will always be with you." With that, I gripped him by the cheeks and pressed my lips onto his. 

There was no hesitation as Sokka returned the gesture, knowing that it was the last time we would ever meet in these circumstances. I could feel myself floating higher and higher, straight into the sky as I disappeared from Sokka's life for good. I could see him still kneeling there, staring longingly as I amalgamated with the moon and restoring its brightness. As the balance was restored, I could see La and Aang separate from each other, with the young Avatar being placed on a safe ledge while the Ocean Spirit returned to the pond. The battle was won, and the Fire Nation was on the retreat. 

When I was younger, my father had always told everyone how he was very proud of me, no matter what small achievement I did. He said part of the reason was that I was destined to become the Moon Spirit, and one day I must leave him for good. He always told me to cherish whatever time I had left on this world, since we were never sure when I would finally depart. While I left the physical world, away from my tribe, my family, and my friends, I realized that I was part of a bigger world now. My journey with the water tribes was over, and now, a new journey must begin. I would continue to guide the Avatar on his quest to end the war and hopefully restore that sorely-needed balance to the world. I stared over the oceans from my position on the moon, reminding me of the time Sokka took me flying on Appa. It was such a joyous moment, and I was so happy I got to spend it with him. As I thought back to all the wonderful things that my family and friends had done for me, only one thought crossed my mind. 

My name is Yue. That was my story. Those were my rites of passage.


	4. Ty Lee

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Each character grows up with a set of experiences unique to themselves. Watch each person describe what went through their minds and how they changed as they reacted to the world. These are their stories, these are their rites of passage.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: Michael DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko own Avatar.

"Ty Lee, could that possibly be you?" a teenage female dressed in traditional Fire Nation nobility garbs inquired, stopping right before me. Even when she was upside-down, I could recognize her physical features from when I last saw her a few years ago. Her above-average height, straight and confident pose, piercing gold eyes, and royal head piece told me it was the exact same person I attended school with all those years back.

"Azula!" I exclaimed. Immediately, I tilted out of my handstand, or more like finger stand, since I was balancing on my two index fingers, and positioned into a bow. I remained silent, keeping my forehead to the ground some seconds, as customary for Fire Nation inhabitants when meeting their superiors, before charging up to her. "It is so good to see you," I greeted, pulling her into a hug while my grin stretched from ear to ear.

My childhood friend and daughter to the current Fire Lord, Princess Azula, told me to not let her interrupt me from my exercises. "Tell me, what is the daughter of a nobleman doing here?" she asked as I laid my body front-side-down onto the ground. I could feel the grass tickling against my bare belly, the tips edging onto my pink crop top as I flipped my legs over my back, to the point where my feet nearly touched my face. "Certainly our parents didn't send us to the Royal Fire Academy for Girls to end up in places like this!" Azula commented, sniffing the smell of wild animals irritatingly.

I propped my head up with my hands, still smiling at Azula while my long ponytail dangled onto the side of my face. "I have a proposition for you. I'm hunting a traitor. You remember my old fuddy-duddy uncle, don't you?" Azula suggested, staring at her nails as a large platypus-bear grunted and laid a polka-dotted egg, "I would be honoured if you joined me on my mission," she concluded, dropping her hand and staring back at me.

My mind froze, not sure what to think. Sure, I knew Azula quite well from my younger years, but it was rare that she would seek someone like me to help her with such a mission. Besides, why did I want to give up my life at the circus when I enjoyed it so much? Flipping back to a standing pose, I told her that while I would love to help her, I didn't want to leave here. "My aura has never been pinker," I replied with a grin, albeit an uneasy one as I knew Azula's tendencies in dealing with those who defied her.

Oddly enough, Azula didn't press on any further, stating that she didn't want to force me into satisfying her. Turning away, she headed for the exit, but not before telling me that she wanted to catch my show tonight. Suddenly, I could feel the surrounding area grow cold, a brisk wind blowing through and sent shivers through any exposed skin. For years, I knew Azula had a way of getting to people. And even though she claimed she wasn't forcing anyone to do anything, somehow I doubted her words here.

The afternoon went by uneventfully, but somehow I couldn't get my mind off Azula's words regarding my show. Even as I dressed up for the evening, getting ready to do my high wire performance, something about the offer told me that maybe I shouldn't have rejected Azula that casually. I might have been a cheerful, optimistic girl, but I still worried for my own safety. For some reason, whenever Azula's requests were rejected, that safety became awfully elusive, and that wasn't a good thing for a performer like me.

I could feel the atmosphere as I stepped out from the curtains on the wires and onto the strings. I was in full costume and makeup, the materials making my face sweaty as I glanced below. There was Azula, given a royal suite all to herself as the ringmaster thanked her for honouring us with her presence. I slowly negotiated my way down the wire, balancing upside-down on a platform that moved via a rolling barrel. Inside, my heart thumped faster than ever before as I wondered what trick Azula might unleash. Once, when we were little, she shoved me to the ground just because I could handstand better than her, so I could only imagine the results of my latest act on her.

Although I couldn't make out the words, I could see Azula lean over to speak with the ringmaster. Before I knew it, the middle-aged man shot a fireball out his fist, causing the netting below to glow in an orange aura. I swallowed hard, beads rolling down my face quicker than ever, smudging my makeup as I steadily shifted my weight from one hand to the other. I bit my lower lip, trying to get the barrel to roll to the other platform where I could get off safely when the roar of large animals interrupted me. I glanced down and saw that the ringmaster, on the orders of Azula, released all the wild animals into the tent, causing sheer pandemonium should I fall off.

As the beasts roamed at the bottom, some panicky due to the flames tickling the edge of the net, I truly thought to myself what my options would be. If these were the dangers I would face every day, then maybe joining Azula wasn't so bad. I knew I had always told Azula and my other friend, the usually gloomy and unemotional Mai, that I joined the circus because it was my calling. But now, I felt maybe Azula called a little louder, as in yelling at me to get off the wire, pack my bags, and get moving with her.

________________________________________

Azula asked us to get off our Basilisk lizards, allowing us to stroll into the river. The flowing waters rippled and splashed along the rocky edges as Azula dipped her hands into the cool liquid, wrapping her long digits around wet white strands. "Wads of wet fur," Mai commented in an unimpressed tone, "How delightful."

"Hm. They're not wads. They're more like bundles." I replied, looking at the mysterious material Azula examined. Azula's persuasive ways managed to get our other childhood friend, Mai, to join us on our quest. The Fire Nation military defeated the city of Omashu, overthrowing their king Bumi and installing Mai's father as the governor. But given that Mai was bored to death at the Earth Kingdom, she decided to take Azula's offer as well, and now we would track down the Avatar together.

As Mai and I discussed the right quantity word for the fur, Azula marched off. I could see her stand before some trees, her head tilting to look up thoughtfully. "How about clumps?" Mai suggested, her back to Azula and was oblivious to her actions.

It was the word that escaped me, and I was overjoyed that Mai managed to find it. I jumped into a tight hug with her, which didn't exactly make her feel any better. I looked back at our friendship and wondered how two people who couldn't be more different met and coexisted with each other. While I was the giddy, excitable, no holding grudges type, Mai was silent, disinterested, and rarely showed any emotion. Even as I was delighted by the word, Mai wanted nothing more than to be released. Oh well, different strokes, right?

But polar opposites were about to be conjoined as Azula pointed out a track of white fur heading down a small path leading deeper into the forest. "The trail goes this way," Mai stated, pointing at the direction where more fur could be found. Indeed, the white material was sprinkled all over the ground, almost like clouds from the sky had descended, but kept their shape even when they reached the ground.

As Mai and I looked around for signs of an escape, Azula wandered to the trees in silence. Her pose wasn't as straight and her steps weren't as authoritative, so I figured something on her mind seemed to be bothering her. This struck me as odd, because Azula was never one to hesitate. She was filled with authority and was never afraid to use it, so seeing her doubt herself seemed out of character for her. Did the Avatar and his friends try to outsmart us? If so, then which way did they really head towards?

A couple of brisk drafts passed by, whipping and slightly snatched at our clothing before the Fire Nation princess turned to us again. Pointing at several trees which had the top branches snapped off, she concluded that the Avatar was trying to mislead us. "You two head in that direction and keep your eye out for the bison," she ordered, pointing in the way opposite to the fur, "I'll follow this trail." With that, she marched back to her own Basilisk, turning it towards the direction where the fur landed.

We hopped onto our own lizards and gave chase, heading deeper into the woods while keeping our eyes peeled to the sky. Trees swished past us as leaves and branches flew off, flicking at our skin and clothing as we hurried down the path. Everything was a blur until a large white object was within sight. We saw a flat and wide tail, and six feet swinging in rhythm as it propelled forward. Knowing the target was reachable, we urged our Basilisks even more, hoping we would have what Azula wanted when she returned.

We pulled even with the Sky Bison, which slowed down its progress due to its fatigue. We had chased the Avatar and his group all night on our newly-developed Fire Nation armoured vehicle, which provided us with both defence and speed. Realizing that they couldn't outlast our machine, the end product was bound to be an easy catch. Seeing the bison's right legs drooping low enough for us to touch it, Mai unleashed a series of blades, shooting straight for the passengers on the bison's back. That seemed to have done the trick, as it forced the animal off track. Losing its concentration, the white and furry beast clipped the water, throwing up a wave before veering off into the forest on the other side of the river. It finally crashed with a thud, destroying the first set of trees over there. The tremors were so great that the entire earth shook upon landing.

Despite the close call, we were undaunted, and were intent to show the two Water Tribe siblings the Basilisk's secret ability. Lining the lizards up, we pushed them on at breakneck pace, the wind tearing at our faces as we gained momentum. We were about to show them that a small body of water would not be an obstacle to us. The Basilisks took to the river, running on the surface of the water at such amazing speeds that they would not lose balance nor get swept away by the currents. Azula made the orders to take them prisoners, and we wasted no expenses trying to make it happen.

The female water bender, a teenager around our age clad in blue, whipped her hands towards the water, creating a huge wave hurtling towards us. But Mai and I timed it perfectly, and leapt into the air just as the waves blew our lizards back. I could feel the blast of water underneath us, the moisture flicking onto our leggings as I aimed for the water bender. Kicking off a few trees, I attacked her body directly. My specialty in attacks was to disable an attacker by jabbing various pressure points that turned parts of their body limp. Given that water bending was all about movement, I could do a lot of damage to their defences should I land some blows. Keying my eyes in ones that dealt with movement of arms and legs, I charged forward for my attack.

Another whip of water caused me to somersault away, avoiding the hit while Mai fired her projectiles at the bender's brother, who had two blades at his arsenal. Given that he swatted Mai's daggers straight out of the air, I figured that he probably couldn't bend, meaning the water bender would be defenceless once we took him out. Somersaulting to his back, I immediately aimed for his right arm, giving him a hard stab into the shoulder.

As expected, the arm became limp, causing a groan out of him. The blade landed onto the ground with a soft thump while I looked on. Either the boy didn't understand what happened to him, or he was too thick-headed to realize my attacking style as he tried to club me with his other arm. Watching the slower, slightly disabled attack, I pushed his left hand away and jabbed the left shoulder, causing that to grow limp as well. He only stood there, arms dropped to either side while still maintaining balance. His eyes were wide in surprise, but also helplessness as he glanced around, wondering why his arms were frozen. In my mind, I thought he looked kind of cute standing like that.

Using his last weapon, he shot his left leg forward at me. I managed to catch that attack also, and did a number to his knee, causing limpness there as well. Now, with only his right leg being operational, his balance teetered dangerously, with his head dipping closer to me. I thought I could jab out his skull as well, but it was thicker than a rock. My fingers trembled and throbbed in pain as I glared at the clueless one, wondering how his head, of all body parts, could withstand my chi-blocking abilities.

The warrior boy tried hopping away to no avail as Mai pinned his water bending sister to a tree, her blades cutting through her wrist bands and disabling her bending for the moment. As the siblings were trapped, I tiptoed up to Mai, who crossed her arms and pursed her lips. "I thought when Ty Lee and I finally caught you guys, it would be more exciting. Oh well, victory is boring," Mai stated in her typical monotone voice.

Suddenly, a large gale of wind ripped us off the ground, causing Mai and I to fly into the air. The sudden draft caught us off guard, sending us flailing and screaming into the river. We landed headfirst into the currents, the water rushing us away as we could barely see from the water the Avatar's Sky Bison getting up slowly. It seemed like the large beast finally awoke from its nap, and was ready for a fight again. While I would have loved to stay, it was getting increasingly difficult to fight the swift water.

After what seemed like an eternity, with the water throwing us about and pushing us down like tree branches, Mai and I finally found slower and shallower water. Climbing out, Mai collapsed onto the ground, supported by her knees and hands as she gasped for breath. As I wrung out the water from my long ponytail, I asked Mai, "Is it just me, or is that guy kind of cute?"

Mai turned away in disgust, trying to avoid every attempt to bring in that topic. But for me, it was what I would expect on a mission from Azula. While she had always been my friend, I also knew that Azula stopped at nothing to get what she wanted, even if it meant putting us in danger. Still, it was all fun and games, and I wasn't too keen on seeing her angry. And besides, with a hot guy like that, who wouldn't want to pursue?

________________________________________

"The Earth King and the Council of Five do not trust the Dai Li," Azula's strong voice echoed off the rocky walls of this large tavern. With the exception of torches on the walls, there was relatively little light as an army of men wearing dark robes and large hats stood on guard before us. "They imprisoned your leader, Long Feng. Soon they will turn on all of you, and eliminate you. Seizing power today, is a matter of life and death."

Azula soon stepped off the platform, her head tilting from side to side as she scanned the group. It was the first time that I had seen her in Earth Kingdom clothing, and I must say that it fit her in a strange way. Azula, Mai, and I managed to sneak into the capital, Ba Sing Se, disguised as the Kyoshi Warriors. We ran into them on our journey here, around the same time as our failed invasion involving the Fire Nation's largest war machine, a mechanical drill. We retreated for the moment, trying to think up of another plan when we ran into the warriors trying to rescue the Avatar's Sky Bison. Knowing that it would lead us to our prize, we were intent on attacking this way.

I tilted my head at Mai, who observed a teapot while twitching slightly in the Kyoshi clothes. She was not impressed by this type of fashion, going as far as to say that the colours made her nauseous after we took the warriors prisoners. But me, I could get used to the makeup, as it was similar to the material I used in my circus shows. Add the relatively loose clothing and I could give a performance with this on. My eyes turned back to Azula as she described the plan to throw a coup against the current Earth King. "Long Feng has placed you in my command as we overthrow the government," Azula stated. She threatened the usually fearsome guards, warning them that she would not tolerate any cowardice or disobedience. Although I couldn't see it clearly, I knew some of the secret agents quivered slightly as Azula bore holes into them with her gold eyes.

Azula dismissed the Dai Li, who marched in unison out of their cavernous bunker to prepare for the attack. I reached across the table we were at and poured Azula a cup of tea while Mai gave her seat to the Fire Nation princess. I complimented her speech, but Azula insisted that we shouldn't celebrate just yet. "There are still a few loose ends," she told us, grabbing the full, steaming cup, "The Avatar, and my brother and uncle."

We quickly got back to the palace, heading for the main room where the Earth King was. The slim, bespectacled man wasn't exactly the brightest person in the world, and it was easy for us to keep him under wraps. He just finished speaking with the Avatar and his friends, assuring them that Katara, the female water bender on their team, had left with the Kyoshi Warriors. This was partially true, as she was the one who informed us of Zuko and Iroh being present in Ba Sing Se. After some quick jabs to her pressure points, we made quick work of her and threw her into the Crystal Catacombs, a historical artefact of ancient Ba Sing Se located just underneath the palace. Now, it was just a matter of holding our ground until the Dai Li made their way into the central chamber.

But our peace and quiet was interrupted when the male Water Tribe warrior and his earth bender friend rushed in. He shouted out to the Earth King, who sat dimwittedly on his throne, as usual. But their words were nothing but murmurs as I turned my gaze on the teenage boy. We first battled back at Omashu, over an exchange deal between the Omashu king Bumi and Mai's little brother Tom Tom, who somehow found his way to the earth bending rebels. Add to his actions on the last fight at the river with the bison, and I felt he looked cute. So while the Earth King sorted out the mess, I somersaulted towards him, leaning my face close into his and stretching as wide a smile as possible.

That only got our friend clad in blue more worried, as beads of sweat flooded his forehead. "Uh, I'm kind of involved with Suki," he admitted, slowly rubbing the back of his neck. It was obvious that he was afraid to admit that I had my eyes on him.

Before I could inquire more, a huge slab of rock shot up from under me, sending me hurtling into the air. Luckily, I flipped my body around just in time to land on a small platform directly above the throne. I glanced back down to see the short girl expose our identities. "They're not the Kyoshi Warriors!" she declared, taking a fighting stance.

The fight was on as Mai, who again showed off her self-taught dagger throwing skills by aiming the blades at the earth bender. The sharp objects hurtled through the air, but didn't hit the target as another slab of rock was raised, blocking the blades in midair. The earth bender then sought to turn the tables on Mai, sending the slab of rock at the throne. At the last possible second, my friend leapt into the air, almost in slow motion as the boulder passed harmlessly under her. I reached ground level just in time to feel the rock slam into the wall, causing tremors throughout the chamber and dust to be blown into the air. Mai balanced herself on the ground, and charged in for the attack.

That left me with the Water Tribe warrior, which I didn't mind dealing with, since it was another excuse for me to get close to him. Giggling as I approached him, I tried to stab at his pressure points, placing him entirely on the defensive. Unable to use his blade due to the barrage of jabs, all he could do was twist and turn his body, trying to avoid my every jab. Not that I minded the evasiveness, as it only made things more fun. "Looks like we're dancing together," I commented, shifting my body along with him. It was something I looked forward to, I guess, given my now not-so-secret crush on him.

But before long, Azula intervened, grabbing the Earth King and holding a blue fire blade to his head. The warrior and his earth bender friend immediately surrendered as Azula glared at them from the throne, her eyes cold and authoritative as if she was about to be the new Earth Kingdom ruler. With their attention on the Dai Li agents surrounding the throne, I sneaked up to the two and stabbed their pressure points. Their bodies became wads of paper, crumpling and dropping straight to the ground. A few Dai Li agents helped Mai and I take them, along with the Earth King and his pet bear, to the dungeons.

From there on out, it was all smooth sailing as Azula turned the Dai Li against their former master, Long Feng, and convinced her brother Zuko to side with us in the invasion. Even when the Water Tribe warrior, the short earth bender, and the Earth King made their escape along with his pet bear, it didn't matter to us as Azula told us that the Avatar had been defeated. Now, all it took was for the Dai Li to open the gates and allowed our armies in. Mai and I scanned over the sprawling metropolis, waiting for our troops to arrive. Part of me felt that it was our destiny. Despite all the things that Azula did to get me here, including cutting off my circus performance and putting Mai and I in countless dangerous situations, I still felt it was all worth it.

________________________________________

"Look, it doesn't matter who I met first, because I like you all!" I stuttered, staring at the wall of teenage Fire Nation boys mounted before me. All this was the result of a trip to Ember Island, a famous Fire Nation ocean resort where the Fire Lord's family owned a property. Because the Fire Lord had a confidential meeting with his ministers, he sent Azula and Zuko on this trip, and they in turn invited Mai and me to tag along. We had a fairly enjoyable morning on the beach, where I interacted with all these boys, and one of them even invited us to an evening house party.

But the boys weren't willing to go quietly. Even when I tried to play peacemaker by assuring them that I liked all of them, they insisted that I reveal which one of them was my favourite. All of these boys, along with the hosts of the party, Chan and Ruon-Jian, were children of Fire Nation nobles, meaning being second best was not an option for them. Sensing that there was no way out, I had to reach deep into my arsenal and disable them all with my chi-blocking. As the boys all collapsed to the floor, their bodies stiffer than the wooden floorboards, I scurried off to find my friends.

The series of fire torches on the wall beckoned me like the introduction runway at my former circus tent, leading me straight to a central pillar where Azula was. The Fire Nation princess had her back on it, her arms crossed and her eyes looking unimpressed. "I'm glad you're here. Those boys won't leave me alone!" I exclaimed, glancing back at the pile of bodies in the corner, "I guess they all just like me too much!" The heat and humidity of this summer day had us all wearing loose-fitting clothing. Male guests had on sleeveless shirts and shorts, while females had crop tops, similar to the one I had on.

"Come on, Ty Lee. You can't be this ignorant," Azula stated, casting a slightly downward glance at me. I could sense something unusual about to happen as Azula had an unrelenting look in her eye. I could feel my eyebrows curl involuntarily as my eyes turned to Azula's lips. "Those boys only like you because you make it so easy for them. You're not a challenge, you're a tease. It's not like they actually care who you are."

Those words slammed into me like a hundred boulders bent by the elite earth benders we faced at Ba Sing Se. I knew Azula never liked anyone besting her, and I could understand that my monopoly on the attention of the boys probably ticked her off somehow, but how could she say this about me? Was she implying that I was nothing but a phony? All the bright auras and positive energy that I brought, was she claiming that they were all faked? At this thought, my stomach churned, pushing up to my throat as tears jerked out from my eyes, rendering me to nothing but sobs.

"Okay, okay, calm down." I could feel Azula grab my hands and pulled them away from my wet face. "I didn't mean what I said. I said it, because I was a little, jealous," she told me, cupping her mouth with one hand and whispering the last word.

That last revelation was by far the biggest surprise. It was as if Sozin's Comet had crashed onto the world. "What? You're jealous of me?" I demanded, my tears drying up, "But you're the most beautiful, smartest, perfect girl in the world!"

Azula naturally agreed with my statement, but revealed that she had some trouble interacting with boys. Somehow, she felt they all were afraid of her, and that they were so intimidated every time she approached them. Sensing that I could be of use, I gave her a few tips on what to do. "If you want a boy to like you, just look at him and smile a lot, and laugh at everything he says, even if it's not funny!" I explained with a grin.

We did a quick run-through, but Azula ended up attracting too much attention to herself by laughing too loudly. After some fine-tuning here and there, she was ready for the real thing. Approaching Chan in the most nonchalant manner possible, she asked him for a tour of the house. I beamed in delight as our host took Azula for a walk, knowing that this could be the way for Azula to break out of her authoritative mode and into a softer, kinder, people-friendly person. It was the first time in years that her family was put back together, as Azula managed to convince her brother to turn against their uncle Iroh and fought the Avatar together. When news spread that Zuko defeated the Avatar, Zuko was officially invited back to the Fire Nation from his exile. The Fire Lord especially requested a meeting with him and instantly restored his honour, which was something Zuko sought ever since he received his eye scar years ago.

But a large bang snapped me out of my thoughts, silencing the entire party. My eyes followed the multiple pairs belonging to the guests before me, pausing at the far wall as Ruon-Jian collapsed onto the ground, broken shards of ceramics littering the floor around him. My eyes traced the direction from which Ruon-Jian flew in from, and I could see Zuko and Mai yelling at each other. When we were ready to leave Ba Sing Se, Azula and I decided to rekindle the crush they had for each other when they were younger. It worked marvellously, and the two became a couple and were seeing each other quite frequently. But now, with this eruption, I could only bite my lower lip nervously, realizing that things were not well between the two.

Just then, Chan charged in from the balcony, presumably where he and Azula were when they went for their walk. Shocked that his family vase was broken, he turned to Zuko and demanded that the Fire Prince removed himself from the party. Zuko said something back defiantly before heading for the door, closing it with a loud slam. My eyes tilted back and forth like a metronome, alternating between Mai and Azula, who just stepped back into the room.

Right away, I went to Azula and updated her on what happened. Sensing that something was not right, she insisted that Mai and I left the party as well. "It's time that the three of us had a chat with my brother," she decided, leading us to the door.

Mai and I waited patiently while Azula went to fetch Zuko from their family's beach house. We didn't stay in the royal lodging, opting to go into the smaller one owned by Lo and Li, two elderly twin sisters who had been close to the royal family for decades. While Mai tried to avoid eye contact with us, I was truly concerned for Zuko. Even as his status was restored, he seemed more troubled than before. We knew his exile might be a factor, as he probably needed time to readjust to the Fire Nation royalty lifestyle. Still, it felt odd that he would be this angry, especially when his life seemed complete now.

After a few minutes of waiting in darkness and relative silence, with the waves being the only sound echoing off the rock formations around us, Zuko finally returned to our group. Mai was still not talking to him, going as far as to slapping Zuko's hand away from her shoulder when he asked if she was cold. Trying to lighten up the mood, I told him that a fire was preferable. With immense energy, Zuko managed to crack a smile, offering to return to his family beach house and burning all of the old materials kept there from his childhood days. As he trucked armful after armful of old pictures and trinkets, I couldn't help but wonder what he was doing. "What are you doing?" I asked.

"What does it look like I'm doing?" he replied, his tone laced with harshness as he blasted a fireball out his fist. The flames illuminated our area, dancing to the moon as its warmth shielded us from the cool ocean breezes swishing in from the waves.

But even with the heating, I was concerned by Zuko's actions. What purpose was he serving with this destruction of his family memories? Now that Zuko and Fire Lord Ozai had reconciled, surely he didn't have to destroy his past, did he? "But it's a painting of your family," I pointed out, "I think you do care, right?"

Zuko's temper only flared higher, eclipsing the fire before us as he erupted on me, claiming that I didn't know him well. "You're stuck in your little Ty Lee world, where everything is great all the time. Look at me, I'm so pretty, I can walk on my hands," he tauntingly did a handstand even as Mai told him to ease up. "Circus freak!" he growled.

I could feel tears coming to my eyes again, but this time I held them in. I was not about to let Azula, and then Zuko, belittle my past anymore. "Yes, I'm a circus freak. Go ahead and laugh all you want!" I retorted, my eyes firing glares between Zuko and Azula, "You want to know why I joined the circus? Do you know what my home life is like, growing up with six sisters looking exactly like me? It was like I didn't even have my own name!" I ranted, getting onto my feet. Even as I was the shortest person out of the four, I suddenly felt a tower of power surge in me, refusing to let myself stop until they heard me out. "I joined the circus because I was scared to spend the rest of my life as a matched set. At least I'm different now. Circus freak is a compliment!" I yelled, getting onto my knees like one of the animals I used to work with and roaring the words at Zuko.

Then Mai pointed out that, because I used to be a performer, I was too hungry for people's attention. "You couldn't get enough attention when you were a kid, so you try to make up for it now," she stated monotonously, her face tilting away from mine.

"What's your excuse, Mai?" I countered, grinning sarcastically at her. The fact that she turned away from me meant her face was hidden in the darkness, but it would take a lot more than avoiding the light to prevent me from prying out her dirty laundry. Taking the argument up a notch, I decided to hit her where it hurt. "You were an only child for fifteen years, but even with all that attention, your aura is this dingy grey…"

But Mai dismissed my argument, claiming that she didn't believe in auras. That only turned Zuko's attention back to Mai, accusing her of not caring about anything. As Zuko continued berating Mai, the emotionless girl leaned her back on the rocks, staring straight at the sky. "You want a teary confession about how hard my childhood was?" she retorted nonchalantly, "I was a rich, only child who got anything I wanted, as long as I behaved. I sat still, and I didn't speak unless spoken to. My mother said I had to keep out of trouble, as we had my dad's political career to think about."

Azula, who had been relatively silent so far, took this chance to turn the tables on Mai. Pointing to her parents' control over her, Azula concluded that it was due to this that Mai could not express any of her emotions. But instead of being submissive, it only made Mai more expressive, shouting at Azula to leave her alone. She also let loose on Zuko, telling him that she was still angry with him, before taking a seat with a fume.

"My life hasn't been that easy either, Mai. My father decided to teach me a permanent lesson on my face!" Zuko retaliated, pointing to the scar surrounding his left eye, "I'm back home now, my dad talks to me, he even thinks I'm a hero. Everything should be perfect, right? I should be happy now, but I'm not!" the Fire Prince strolled to the edge of the ocean, letting the waves trickle onto his feet as he continued his rant, "I'm angrier than ever and I don't know why!" he screamed, waving his arms in frustration.

Upon hearing that, we all tried to diagnose why Zuko was so angry. It almost seemed like a total contradiction that he would get mad at all the honours and attention he received after becoming a war hero. As we pressed the question further, we could tell Zuko became more and more confused. First he said he was angry at no one, but in the next breath he told us that everyone angered him. "I don't know!" he shouted, pressing his hands against the sides of his head while his face twisted in agony.

Immediately, we started listed off people who might have caused Zuko to be like this. The Fire Lord, General Iroh, Azula, they were all mentioned, but so far, it was still the same response. Zuko became more and more flustered, and his anger becoming more and more uncontrolled and inexplicable. His head twitched nonstop as we barraged him with suggestions, hoping that we could solve the problem. Then, the pot boiled over as he unleashed the answer on us. "I'm angry at myself!" he screamed, slamming two fire fists into the flame, which blasted two columns of fire into the night sky.

That fiery blast burned up all the fuel we had for our fire, causing the area to go pitch black. "I'm confused," Zuko told us, his back hunched over as his eyes scanned the sand, "I'm not sure I know the difference between right and wrong anymore."

Seeing this scene, Mai approached Zuko and told him that if there was one thing she still cared about in the world, it was Zuko. As they kissed, Azula fake-applauded our so-called performances, stating that she had no "sob" stories to tell. "My own mother thought I was a monster," she muttered, staring into the flickering embers. I dipped my head slightly, recognizing the sudden change in composure for Azula as she said this. But before I could inquire, she was back to her usual self. "She was right, of course. But it still hurt," she finished mockingly, holding her head up high again.

As I observed my friends all telling their personal tales, I recalled the words of Lo and Li. "The beach did help us learn about ourselves. I feel all smoothed," I commented, picking up a nearby stone and rubbing the flat side, "I'll always remember this."

And as Azula suggested that we crashed the very party we were thrown out of, I couldn't help but replay all those things in my mind. Maybe being a circus freak was a good thing, as it allowed me to embrace being different and trying out new things. From now on, I could wear my beliefs and principles on my sleeve, showing them with pride as we headed up the wooden steps. This unexpected trip turned out to be a perfect one.

________________________________________

Azula and I rushed to the top of the boarding platform, just in time to see the large gondola leaving the Boiling Rock. I originally came with Azula and Mai to the prison after hearing that there were special prisoners from the failed invasion on the Day of Black Sun being transferred here. Moreover, it was rumoured that Zuko, who betrayed the Fire Nation yet again during the invasion, breaking Mai's heart in the process, was captured somehow. Sensing something unusual happened, we decided to investigate.

While Mai headed directly for the interrogation room where Zuko was held, Azula and I went to speak with the warden, who also happened to be Mai's uncle. The older man informed us that there was a planned escape, courtesy of one of the guards. But before we could say more, there was a prison riot, as fireballs and other objects were all over the open area. That actually happened to be the distraction the main prisoners, including Zuko and Hakoda, the leader of the Day of Black Sun invasion, used to get off the prison. Now, seeing them head away from us, Azula and I felt we must do something.

Azula nodded to me, signalling to the top cable on the gondola. As I scaled the pillar leading up to it, Azula grabbed a set of handcuffs from the closest guard, hooking it onto the bottom cable and propelled herself towards the escapees via fire bending from her feet. As we sped towards the gondola, an attack plan was already hatching. Even without Mai, we were sure we could take those guys on, including the Water Tribe boy that I met so many times and used to have a crush on.

I got to the target first, flipping off the wire and landing on the front side of the gondola's roof. The first person to face me was Suki, leader of the Kyoshi Warriors, a group that we defeated prior to our invasion of Ba Sing Se. Zuko and Sokka, the Water Tribe boy, took on Azula on the other side. While Azula and Zuko immediately went at it with fire bending, Suki and I stared each other down. The battle on the other side of the gondola was nothing but muffled grunts as our concentration was on each other.

Before anyone could blink, Suki attacked with a flurry of punches. Thanks to my circus training, I blocked them with relative ease, but her quick pace also did not allow me to chi-block easily. Sensing a need to change strategy, I flipped under the roof, travelling to the other side of the gondola via its interior, and hoped to ambush Suki from behind. As I returned to the daylight, aiming straight for Suki's shoulder, the Kyoshi Warrior dodged at the last second, sidestepping away and returning with a new series of blows. With both sides unrelenting, it was evident that we were fairly evenly matched.

But a sudden screech from the line above halted any battling, as the gondola halted its progress completely. As we all gingerly rebalanced ourselves, we could see the people on the platform bring forth a huge saw. "They're about to cut the line!" I shouted, the scratching sounds of the saw eating into the cable echoing off the rocky surroundings.  
Azula glanced up, and a malicious expression took over her eyes. "Then it's time to leave," she stated, nodding to me. Standing up straight, she rocketed herself into the air with feet fire bending again, flipping around and landing on the opposite gondola's roof perfectly. I followed suit with an acrobatic jump, dropping in right next to her as those on the doomed gondola watched on helplessly. "Goodbye, Zuko," Azula sneered.

As the seconds ticked down to the halted gondola's drop into the boiling liquids below, I couldn't help but wonder what would happen. My eyes keyed in on the trapped people as we continued our descent, the wind dying down completely as the heat wrenched into my clothing and mugging the skin on my bare abdomen. Even though Zuko became a traitor again and there were escaped prisoners on board, it didn't feel right to end it this way. Moreover, Mai's uncle was also on the gondola. What would she think if we informed her that her loved one was going to die, knowing that a different option could have been chosen? Somehow, I felt what we did was not the way to go.

But before another word was uttered, a figure clad in dark clothes approached the controls. The figure hurled a series of projectiles, disabling the prison crew cutting the line, before the mechanisms were activated again. As suddenly as the gondola's stoppage was, it moved away again, carrying the fugitives to safety. Even as that was done, the dark figure swung around gracefully, almost like a fast-paced but lethal dance as blades and other sharp objects whistled through the air and pinning the prison staff against the walls. As we got closer to the platform, we could see the mysterious figure: it was Mai. "What is she doing?" Azula demanded, gritting and gnashing her teeth together.

Mai was finally subdued when, in the flurry of activity before her, someone jumped her from behind and disarmed her blades. Azula and I hopped off the gondola to confront her, with Azula glaring at my emotionless friend with fiery eyes, the golden orbs flashing in anger as she sought answers from Mai. After dismissing the two guards holding her, Azula muttered, "I never expected this from you. The thing I don't understand is why. Why would you do it? You know the consequences!" she demanded, her tone a mix of anger and, dare I say it, sadness.

My fingers fidgeted nonstop, my hands clasping and unclasping each other while my eyes darted between my two friends. The hot sticky atmosphere only increased when a sudden gust blew by, sending heat from the volcanic island onto our faces. My brows furrowed and drops of perspiration leaked down my face as my eyes zoomed in on Mai's lips, which parted for the first time since this betrayal. "I guess you just don't know people as well as you think you do," Mai stated, tilting her head back up to face Azula, "You miscalculated: I love Zuko more than I fear you."

That was the final nail in the coffin, as Azula displayed an eruption that would dwarf any volcano in the Fire Nation. "You miscalculated. You should have feared me more!" Azula roared. With that, she set her feet, blue flames lighting up from her fists as she prepared to attack Mai. Sensing danger, Mai pulled out a knife of her own.

But for whatever reason, something compelled me to attack Azula. Maybe it was seeing my friend getting attacked. Maybe it was Azula being too intent on using fear and intimidation, to the point where it seemed like she no longer cared for people's lives. Or maybe it was even a feeling inside me saying that circus freaks like me should be entitled to some respect, and not be pushed around by anyone. Nonetheless, it was like my body had been taken over as I unleashed a series of jabs, all of which landing on crucial pressure points that disabled Azula's fire bending. As the Fire Princess hit the ground face-first, I grabbed Mai and insisted that we departed from here.

Mai hesitated for a moment, still shocked at the scene before her, before she finally picked up her feet. But it was all for naught, as the prison guards soon surrounded us. Apprehending us, they turned us to face Azula, who was slowly being lifted onto her feet. Her eyes were filled with hate, almost like she wanted to tear us apart with her bare hands as she ordered us to be taken in cells. "And let them rot," she spat.

As the guards marched us into the confines of this maximum security prison, all I could think of was my actions. As the dimmer environment engulfed us, I finally came to a conclusion. Life shouldn't be driven by fear, nor should it be driven by intimidation. It was wrong to use that type of attitude to enforce loyalty. I lived my whole life in upbeat fashion because I wanted to avoid being in a matched set, and I truly felt I stood out when I met Azula. After all, what could be better than hang out with the Fire Princess, right?

But it wasn't meant to be, as I realized that I left a family that forced me to conform, only to be with a friend who forced me to conform even more. The row of torches above me led the way to my cell as I pondered what it could have been had I rebelled sooner. Given that Azula used fear as her only tactic, I probably wouldn't have fared any better. But Mai was right about one thing: Azula miscalculated. Just as she underestimated that Mai was driven by her love for Zuko, even though he supposedly broke up with her, Azula underestimated the stubborn pride I had in me. Like I told everyone on the beach, with a life like this, being called a circus freak was a compliment, and this circus freak had an honour to defend.

"This is your cell," the guard told me, shoving me into the dark room. The walls seemed to cave in on me, giving this free-ranging acrobat as little space to roam as possible. "We have new prisoners coming in next morning," the guard explained, "It's the rest of those Kyoshi Warriors, although I doubt they'll see their leader here, given that she got out." With that, the door creaked to a close, leaving me cold and alone.

It would be several weeks before I was let out of the Boiling Rock with Mai. By the time I saw daylight again, the world was entirely different. From what I heard, the Avatar defeated the Fire Lord. Zuko defeated Azula in a fire duel called the Agni Kai, and officially ascended the Fire Nation throne. He promised to reconcile with the rest of the world, and started the process with the simple gesture of releasing all prisoners of war. I also thought about what happened to my former friend Azula, who I heard had been placed into an asylum. Maybe it was right for me to keep a positive view of the world. Given that all Azula utilized was fear and intimidation, it wasn't long before she made those around her dislike her. While I was still concerned for her wellbeing, I was convinced that Mai and I did the right thing that day. As I felt the sun's warmth tickle my body, my energy couldn't be more positive.

I maintained my optimistic outlook during my imprisonment, getting to meet up the Kyoshi Warriors and exchanging battle techniques with them. After they regrouped with their leader Suki, the team decided as a whole that I could join them, and start my training on Kyoshi Island after Zuko's coronation. It was like my old life had ended, and I was reborn. I might have started off as a lowly performer, only following the orders of those around me in hopes of being different, but I now found a higher calling. If the Fire Nation could reconcile with the world, and the Earth Kingdom based Kyoshi Warriors could accept someone like me, then it was only right I did my part to help the process. As the girls put the green uniform and white makeup on me, I only thought of in one thing.

My name is Ty Lee. That was my story. Those were my rites of passage.


	5. Haru and Teo

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Each character grows up with a set of experiences unique to themselves. Watch each person describe what went through their minds and how they changed as they reacted to the world. These are their stories, these are their rites of passage.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: Michael DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko own Avatar.

**Teo's POV**

"Go Teo! Show that bald kid how it's done!" I heard my friends shout from the stone steps of the large plaza-like opening before my home. My father, who I consider the greatest inventor in the world, created machines that allowed us to take to the skies. In fact, we had been using these new gliders for quite some time now.

But the sudden presence of this boy dressed in an unusual orange and yellow tunic challenging my flight pattern with unabated ferocity only made me more determined. I was the first person to receive the ability of flight, with my father attaching a series of bars with fabric-like wings to my wheelchair. I lost my ability to walk since I was a toddler, so for me, mimicking air benders with flight wasn't just a hobby, it was freedom. When I was in the air, I felt like my disability disappeared, as I could move just as well as all my fellow fliers. So, to have this newcomer contest me, I couldn't possibly lose.

I tilted my head to see the bald boy flying near. Moistening my lips, I gripped the controls on the sides of the wheelchair. My dark open-fingered gloves shielded my hands from the chill of this high altitude as I steered my flyer forward. I could sense the glider behind me match my velocity, the winds picking up more as we sliced through the air.

Undeterred by the advancement, I flipped the flyer and did a perfect back flip. But to my surprise, the boy copied this as well. It's time to raise the bar, I thought to myself. I dipped down and dropped straight for the central structure of the Northern Air Temple. My father discovered this place some years after the flood, and it had been home for the displaced Earth Kingdom denizens and me ever since. We twisted and turned in the air, neither one of us wanting to back down. "I can do more than just fancy gliding!" the other boy shouted, a smidge of smugness in his tone as he whipped his glider at the wall.

My eyes trailed the boy through my goggles as he released his grip from the glider and jumped onto the wall. Despite being sideways from the ground, he did an amazing job maintaining balance as he sprinted on the stones. As he picked up enough speed, he created a ball of air and rode on it, throwing up dust from the wall. I couldn't see through the grey soot, but it became evident to me that he succeeded in the difficult move when he leapt back onto the glider hovering near him and took to the skies again.

"I don't think I can do that," I called excitedly as he returned to my altitude, "But here's a good one." With that, I yanked on a switch near the handlebars, letting out a line of grey smoke behind me. I wasn't even looking at where my friends or my challenger were, only focusing on my flight path. I usually didn't say much in the air, in case something unpleasant flew into my mouth, like an insect. But this time, knowing the challenge, I wasn't going to go quietly. Whirling several times in midair, I made at least two round loops. The clouds and sun swung around me while the wind tore at my shirt, causing the fabric to flap uncontrollably. This was the move to settle the duel between us, as I was about to tell this bald guy not to show up my flying abilities. Get this, I thought.

Returning to a level position, I could hear cheering from below. I signalled the boy to look at my carving in the sky. "What do you think?" I asked, admiring the piece.

I could see his expression neutralize, his cheeks easing as he knew I got the best of him. I chuckled as I took one last look at my art before the wind distorted it. It was a spitting image of our bald friend, with the same expression he currently wore: the face of defeat. I might be a paraplegic, but I wanted to show that I belonged with those who could still use their legs. There was no way a disability would make me inferior to others.

I aimed the wheelchair on the landing strip, touching down and braking with pinpoint accuracy. The wheelchair screeched to a halt, but maintaining perfect balance as my friends raced in to remove the wings. Lifting my goggles, I rolled to my challenger and finally caught a glimpse of him. He was a bit younger than me, and had a blue arrow on his forehead. "Hey, you're a real air bender," I stated, recalling the statues around the place, "You must be the Avatar!" I exclaimed, trying to contain my excitement.

After a quick introduction, I got to know each visitor a little better. The Avatar, Aang, was an air bender from the Southern Air Temple, and had visited this place sometime before. His companions were Katara, a teenage girl from the Southern Water Tribe intent on finding Aang a water bending teacher, and Sokka, Katara's brother who was really amazed by the technology around here. "You think this is good, then wait until you see some of the other stuff my dad designs," I told him, taking them into the temple.

I took them through a dark tunnel, finally emerging to the central area. The hiss of air being released and pumped echoed through the chamber as tubes and mechanics came into view. "My dad is the mastermind behind this whole place," I explained as the three glanced around in silence and awe, "Everything's powered by hot air. It's great, isn't it?"

Sokka wasn't even listening as he shot to the machines, touching each tube and examining each nut and bolt like a treasure. Aang, however, had a muted response. He strolled around, scanning through the jungle of pipes and at the wall underneath. There were fading sculptures of air bending monks, bison, and other aspects of air bender life, probably reminiscent of his life a century ago. I could see Aang march up to the centre statue, that of a Sky Bison overlooking a pond. The fountain bubbled for a minute before the bison let out a blast of steam, depressurizing the room and getting the Avatar in the face. Grunting in disgust, he whipped his head away in anger. As Aang left, Katara asked me, "Are there any parts of the temple that are still the same?"

I took them to the back, away from the main area. I didn't recall new construction here, so I thought Aang could get some peace here. But was I ever wrong as Aang was greeted by my father in the most direct way possible. As the Avatar stepped up to a monk statue, a huge wrecking stone came crashing through the wall, nearly toppling him. From behind the debris, five figures came into view. The one in the centre was a tall, lanky, and balding man with a large beard and wearing an apron over his green clothes. Upon seeing us, his eyes grew larger than the moon. Immediately, he demanded why we were here, considering the dangers of construction zones as he designed a new bathhouse.

Aang, however, was none too pleased by my father's actions. "You just destroyed something sacred, for a stupid bathhouse!" he ranted, gripping his staff in anger. Even as my father explained that people were "starting to stink," it still didn't make the Avatar feel any better. "This whole place stinks!" He yelled. With that, he slammed the staff to the ground, letting out an air cutter and sending the wrecking ball over the cliff.

After a quick clarification by me, I officially introduced the Avatar and his friends to my father, who then explained why everyone was living here. There was a flood at my village when I was an infant. It killed my mother and left me paralyzed waist-down. The other villagers, led by my dad, became refugees and wandered the world for years. It was not until we found the Northern Air Temple, located in a secluded mountain range near the North Pole that we decided to settle in and called it our home. "Build a new life for my son in the air, so everyone would be on equal ground, so to speak," my dad described, marching back to the hole created by the wrecking ball, "We're just in the process of improving what's already here. And after all, isn't that what nature does?" he asked.

The Avatar seemingly calmed down after understanding the situation, but I could tell that he still wasn't happy. As my father took Sokka to view his other inventions, I brought Aang into the deepest part of the temple. "There is one part of the temple that hasn't changed at all," I explained, glancing at a still expressionless Aang. I brought the wheelchair to a halt before a large door, with an elaborate set of tubes at its centre.

Katara commented that she had seen a similar design on another air temple, and I agreed. "Only an air bender can open it, so inside it's completely untouched, just the way the monks left it," I told the Avatar, "I always wondered what it was like in there."

There was complete silence as we looked to Aang. I could see his cheek muscles tighten up, his eyes closing as he firmly replied, "This is the last part of the temple that's the same as it was. I want it to stay that way." With his head still bowed, most likely in disappointment that his culture had radically changed, he left the sacred entrance.

________________________________________

**Haru's POV**

Our three special guests followed me out of my small house and into the barn behind. Rarely did this quiet coal-mining town get visitors. And given that the Fire Nation had invaded this area for the resource and kept us under martial law for the last five years, meeting new people was that much more a treat. "My mom said you could sleep here tonight, but you should leave in the morning." I told them, pulling the doors of the old barn open and letting the light into the wooden chamber.

"Thanks," the youngest member, a boy wearing a large hat, replied cheerfully, "I'll make sure Appa doesn't eat all your hay." He pointed to the large Sky Bison situated on the far end of the barn. The large animal already had some of the yellow, dry material in its mouth, and was chewing patiently as we entered.

I smiled and nodded, gently closing the doors as they settled inside. It wasn't often to see someone as special as the Avatar and his friends around, and I was especially glad this young boy decided to come. The Fire Nation had harassed my town long enough and I felt it was time to fight back. When their troops attacked, they made sure to target all the earth bending inhabitants, imprisoning them and leaving only those who couldn't bend as to keep the town helpless. With limited fighting abilities, the Fire Nation troops acted like thugs, bullying us with high taxation and violence and milking our coal away.

But before I got very far, the teenage Water Tribe girl stepped back out. "Let's go for a walk together, shall we?" she suggested, tilting her head at the nearby woods.

I paused for a second, not knowing what to think. We didn't exactly hit it off very well, as they barged into my house claiming they saw me earlier. That got my mother very worried that the Fire Nation troops might have captured me. After some careful explanation, they convinced my mom that they meant no harm and would not be telling the Fire Nation about what they saw. In exchange for that, Mom agreed to let them stay with us for the night. Entering the forest, the girl, Katara, spoke. "I'm sorry about what I said earlier. I didn't know about your father."

I couldn't help but smile at the mention of my father. "The way you were talking back at the store, it reminded me of him," I replied. For some reason, when Katara was with my mother earlier, ranting about how the villagers could stand a chance in a battle against the Fire Nation, I genuinely felt he was here. "My father was very courageous. When the Fire Nation invaded, he and the other earth benders were outnumbered ten to one, but they fought back anyway. After the attack, they rounded up my father and every other earth bender, and took them away. We haven't seen them since."

We stopped at the top of the hill overlooking the valley. I crouched down, my hands feeling for the rocks and pebbles on the ground. "The problem is, the only way I could feel close to my father now, is to practice my bending." I picked up some sand and twirled them with my fingers, clumping them into the two round objects, making them spin in midair and circling each other. "He taught me everything I know."

I released the sand, letting it blow into the wind. I turned to watch the dusty material disappear into the distance, reminding me of the time when my father was taken away and my mother and I could only stand outside our house and watch helplessly. Deep down, I really wished that I could do something to rectify this problem. But given that I was just one, and everyone else refused to act, my chances of succeeding were slim.

Katara then knelt down beside me and showed me her necklace. She told me that it was the last memento from her mother, before she was killed in a Fire Nation raid. She described her own experiences with Fire Nation attacks, stating that even with her water bending and the necklace, it still wasn't enough for Katara to cope with the loss. Seeing the shiny blue pendant hanging from her throat, I realized the similarities between us. Maybe, even without my father, it was a new method to deal with this issue. After all, it might be better to heal together rather than alone, right?

As evening progressed, and we descended the hills and back to the village, we passed by the same area where Katara and friends first found me. Yes, I was secretly earth bending here, hoping to do it away from the views of others who might have chosen to report me to the authorities. Also, there were enough open mines here, meaning earth was abundan, letting me use all sorts of new techniques that I had developed along the way. I was about to show Katara some of my favourite places to be when suddenly, a series of rocks caved in ahead of us, the boulders roared from the mouth of the mine and kicked up a huge dust cloud. "Argh, help!" a voice shouted from the mine.

Katara and I rushed in, keeping our eyes on the bottom of the rocks. There was an elderly man trapped by the cave-in, pleading to us for help as the rocks from above threatened to flatten him. I raced in and held up the rocks with my arms and shoulders while Katara pulled at the man, hoping he would lodge free. I could feel the rocks thundering at my spine, the mine ready to collapse any minute. Through squinted eyes, I glanced at Katara, who made minimal progress on the man. The rocks had him clamped to the ground, and there was no way out for him.

Sensing the danger, Katara did the unthinkable. "There's no one around to see you, and it's the only way to free him," she begged, holding onto the old man, who seemed closer and closer to suffocation. Biting my lower lip, I had to expose my secret.

Stepping away from the entrance, I faced the menacing rocks hurtling their way down. Aiming with my left hand, I got into a crouch and took a deep breath. Spinning around, I gathered my momentum and shot my hands towards the cave. My motion made the first set of rocks wiggle free, before the entire collapsed section went hurtling into the darkness inside. The roar of the rocks being thrown about echoed ominously as I relaxed my stance, getting a good look at the injured man. Katara was all smiles as I approached them, helping her pick up the senior and taking him back to the town.

After taking him to a medic, we were on our way back to my house. I bid Katara good night as she returned to the barn. I understood that she had to leave early tomorrow morning, so hopefully I could be there to see her off. She really inspired me to pursue my bending, which would be crucial to not only bonding with my father, but freeing him from the Fire Nation should the battle ever take place. Right now, for me, bending represented freedom, and for once I could feel that I was away from the clutches of the Fire Nation.

After a quick dinner, my mother decided to go to bed. I was hoping to stay at our family shop for a little longer, just to finish cleaning up. It was completely dark outside, so I guessed most people had already gone home. That's why I was somewhat surprised when there was knocking on the door. Cocking an eyebrow, I approached the front. With the lights around me flickering in suspicion, I undid the lock and pulled the door open.

The only thing I could see from that moment on were the lit torches held by each Fire Nation soldier as they grabbed onto me. "That's him, that's the earth bender!" I heard an elderly voice shout. Immediately, I turned to the source of the sound, and much to my dismay, it was the same man I rescued from the cave-in earlier today. Even though Katara believed nobody would see, we didn't expect the victim himself would turn me in.

"Argh, what are you doing?" I grimaced, trying to wrest free from the soldiers' grasps. I heard that the Fire Nation was intent on using metallic hand cuffs to ensure that earth benders couldn't escape, as no known earth bender could bend metal. I could feel myself getting free when a series of blows slammed into my body. Pain seared up and down my spine and my sides as my vision blurred. I could feel my arms being pulled back, the soldiers roughly yanking my shoulders as they slapped the cuffs onto me.

The sounds of the troops barking instructions to each other drowned out the voice of an older woman hollering from the shop. "Mom?" I muttered, trying to look up. I had blood and sweat dripping off my head after the Fire Nation took multiple shots at me, but I had to make sure my mother was safe. "Mom, get inside, it's not safe here!" I called out to her. I tried to edge forward and prevent the Fire Nation troops from attacking her. But before I took another step, I felt a dull thud on the back of my head. And suddenly, the already dark night just became darker as I blacked out on the street.

________________________________________

**Teo's POV**

A tall, silhouetted man stood at the entrance of the sacred chamber. Outside light cast a shadow over his face as four people gathered around him. "It was about a year after we moved here. Fire Nation soldiers found our settlement. They were going to destroy everything," my father stuttered, his eyes refusing to leave the floor. After hearing my intentions to share air bending with others as a way of expressing freedom, Aang decided to share his air bending heritage with me as well. As Katara experienced her first try at gliding, Aang told me he would open the sacred chamber and show me what was inside.

We returned to the area afterwards, and Aang shot two streams on air into the two tubes lining each side. But as the doors edged open, I couldn't believe my eyes. Dozens of weapons and other deadly devices lined the chamber, some of which decorated with the Fire Nation symbol. Before long, my father arrived, and we immediately demanded an explanation. "I begged them to spare us, and they asked what I had to offer. I offered my services," he concluded, hanging his head in shame, "I did this for you."

I turned my wheelchair away from him, refusing to look at my father. Tears spilled from my eyes as I couldn't bear to see the truth. My own father, the man who saved our village from the flood, led us away from the attacking Fire Nation, and helped us rebuild our lives in this temple, was assisting in genocide. I could hear his footsteps echoing down the hall, heading away from the sacred chamber and probably back into his own lab. Save for slight sobbing coming from me, the room was completely silent.

Suddenly, a surge through my body compelled me to wheel around. Hurrying straight for my dad's lab, the voices calling from behind me were reduced to nothing but slurs. My heart pounded on my sternum and my teardrops dissipating, blown away into the air as I headed to the final elevator that headed into the tower. When we first moved here, my father invented these elevators to allow me to get around this tall, multi-storied temple better. Using hot air, he was able to manipulate the amount required to send this skyward. But now, all these inventions meant nothing as I had to find out what he intended to do, and when the Fire Nation would come to pick those weapons up. Just as I was about to lift off, Aang joined in. "I'm coming with you," he stated.

We were in complete silence as the walls blurred past us, both of us with only one thing in mind. Reaching our destination, we burst through his lab, and demanded to know when the Fire Nation would arrive. A nearby candle popped once, indicating that it was an hour past noon. "They'll arrive soon," my dad replied, "Very soon."

Undaunted, Aang approached my dad and told him not to give the Fire Nation any more weapons. Even when my dad told Aang that the Fire Nation would attack us should he refuse the deal, I wasn't about to let that slide. "How can I be proud of you when your inventions are being used for murder?" I retorted, half angry and half pleading. I stared into my father's eyes just as he knelt down to pick up another prototype. For once, we were on the same level, and I could see the pained creases lining across his face.

Suddenly, a small chime jiggled through the air, interrupting our thoughts. My father indicated that it was a Fire Nation representative, and told us to leave. When Aang and I refused, he merely pushed us to the side, placing us into a corner. With us away from the light, he opened a trapdoor located in the centre of the room. Within seconds, a grey-haired man with a long, thick beard came into view. It was just as we feared: the war minister of the Fire Nation himself came to see my dad's newest killing machines.

I could see hesitation in my dad's eyes as the war minister pressed him for the new inventions. The fire bender marched up to him, sticking his head right into my dad's face and glaring at him with threatening eyes. Sensing danger, Aang and I decided to take action. "The deal's off," Aang declared, kicking an air blast and slamming the lab door shut. Aang crouched near the door, guarding it with his life. "Get out of here, you're leaving empty-handed!" Aang shouted, shooting an air blast at the middle-aged man.

The war minister glared at us one last time before returning to the trapdoor, the light behind him swallowing him in darkness. "The destruction of this temple will be on your head!" he spat, pointing at Aang before lowering himself back down to ground level.

As the minister left, Aang and I also took off, trying to get to Sokka and Katara to inform them of the news. We met on an open hallway bridging the lab to the rest of the temple, fretting continuously as we wondered what our next move should be. Even with the bleak odds, Aang refused to let our hopes drop. Insisting that we owned the skies, an aerial assault on the Fire Nation troops would be an option. And since the Fire Nation had no air force, there was no way they could hit back, meaning we had the advantage. But what surprised me the most was when my father emerged from the tower. He didn't say much, but that one line he uttered was the loudest he'd ever spoken, "I want to help."

I couldn't help but grin from ear to ear as my father approached us with his new ideas. The details were nothing but murmurs to me as I admired the bearded man who finally decided to stand up for his beliefs. He stood tall and proud, his facial features more poised than ever. We had been chased out of our village after a disaster, and were harassed by the Fire Nation wherever we went. But today, the Northern Air Temple was about to tell the Fire Nation in one voice that we would not go quietly into the night. "Go tell everyone to come to my lab," he instructed, "I have some new methods to show you."

Before long, everybody gathered in my dad's laboratory as he explained the new aerial techniques we were about to employ. Thanks to Sokka, who worked very hard on remedying a few problems on the inventions, we were well on the way to defeating this invasion. But throughout the briefing, I had to say that my mind wasn't really on details. Rather, it was on my father, who was more determined than ever to stop this disaster. It truly got me thinking about what our relationship would be like afterwards. I knew part of the reason for this resolve was to make up for what he did. And given that he asked me to take a huge roll in leading the aerial assault with the Avatar, it would probably mark a huge change in the way we relate to each other. No longer would I be Teo the unfortunate paraplegic, but Teo the able fighter, leading the way to repelling the Fire Nation.

Within an hour, we had our gliders lined up on the exterior of the temple. Each one would be armed with several types of bombs, all with a different purpose in our counteroffensive. One by one, we raced to the edge, throwing ourselves into the wind and diving through the clouds. By the time we emerged, we could see the Fire Nation troops marching up the mountain, the soldiers lined up in single file due to the narrow walking space on the rock ledges. With their full concentration on negotiating their way up, it was the perfect time to strike. Signalling to Aang, we tilted down and zoomed in on them.

The group closest to the top were our first victims as we hurled a series of slime bombs at them. The viscous liquid splattered all over the soldiers, creating green goo all over their armour and weapons. As the bottom troops prepared to reinforce, the gliders in the back of our formation wheeled in and dropped several smoke bombs, choking them and blurring their vision. With grey hue before them and dark green slime around them, the Avatar sought to add insult to injury. He dropped out of his glider and onto the top ledge. Creating his air scooter, he shook loose the snow above them and let it smother the troops even more. With the Fire Nation on the run, it seemed like a sure win for us.

But the Fire Nation wasn't about to go quietly. Just as we pulled back out, leaving some room between the cliff and us, a series of hook shots blasted through the snow. The hooks grasped onto the ledges before an ominous clacking could be heard. I stared below and saw a series of tanks rolling their way up the mountainside. Soon, they were at the entrance to the temple, shooting their fire bombs at us and scattering our formation. Even as we pelted them with our bombs, while Aang got onto the ground and hoped to slow them down physically, it wasn't doing us any good. Given that we were just not doing enough damage to the tanks, my heart sank. Would this be it for the Northern Air Temple and its denizens? Remaining defiant, I decided that we should at least go down fighting.

I brought Katara, who was on Aang's bison supplying the gliders with bombs, onto the ground next to Aang. The two together formed an unstoppable bending team that kept the tanks at bay, a mixture of air slices and snow upheavals throwing the Fire Nation troops about. But there was only so much they could do, as I realized we had no bombs left to assist them. Biting my lip, I could only wonder where my dad and Sokka were. "Come on, where's the great invention they made?"

Just then, a large war balloon with a red exterior floated out from the bottom of the temple. The large insignia might have been that of the Fire Nation, but it was evident who was on board. Carrying four large loads with a stench that could be detected even inside the temple, Dad and Sokka steered the balloon above the troops and let their stink bombs loose. Each large bundle exploded into the snow, throwing about another set of dark liquids and reeking up the entire mountain. Then, in a last ditch effort to finish them off, Sokka unhooked the balloon's fuel source and hurled it into the crevasse below. The boiler fell in slow motion as it clanked against the rocks. Once, twice, and then complete silence. Then, before anyone could inquire, a huge explosion rocked the temple, shaking its foundation and sending most of us grabbing onto the nearest thing for balance.

By the time the smoke cleared, I could see Aang swoop down on his glider toward the falling war balloon. My heart pounded nonstop as I worried if Aang could reach them in time. I never got a chance to tell Dad that I forgave him, and that we could work things out again. He couldn't possibly go down without knowing that, right? Luckily, the Avatar emerged from the clouds, bringing them both back to safety. There was nonstop cheering as they were brought back to the temple, our people crying victory over the Fire Nation.

But none of that mattered as I wheeled up to my father, his face noticeably lighter and more emotional. Feeling tears sneaking up on me as well, I immediately pulled him into a hug, pressing my chin onto his shoulder. I could feel him do the same, holding this position for a while and not letting go. I might have disapproved of his acts, but he was still my father, and I was proud of his actions today. And like what we did with our lives after the flood, we realized that it was possible to start anew. Together, we hoped to improve upon the inventions, hoping one day our world would no longer be ruled by fear and intimidation when we free everyone from the Fire Nation using these tools.

________________________________________

**Haru's POV**

"So you got yourself arrested just to find me? You've got guts, Katara, I'll give you that." I commented as I scanned the teenage Water Tribe girl standing before me. She had the brown prisoner uniform on top of her usual blue tunic, and seemed slightly worn out, but otherwise she looked like she was in good shape.

"There's someone I want you to meet," I brought Katara to a group of older earth benders. They were seated in a circle on the ground, most of them eating whatever little scraps offered for our meals. Pointing to a balding, grey-haired man with a thick beard, I made the appropriate introductions. "This is my father, Tyro. Dad, this is Katara."

Instantly, my dad offered Katara his food, thanking her for looking out for my family for the last couple of days. As Katara tried to gulp down the cold, disgusting and tasteless liquids, my father turned to the other earth benders and asked them to take care of the elderly and sick prisoners. I couldn't help but smile, as my father's passionate side was on display again. Even with his age, he refused to let others suffer more, insisting that they got the extra blankets instead. It was no wonder why I admired him so much.

"If you don't mind me asking, what's your escape plan?" Katara chimed in, "You know, the plan to get everyone off the rig?" The Fire Nation placed the prisoners on a metal rig in the middle of the ocean. There was no way earth benders could bend metal or water, so escape would be very difficult. While we stayed here, the guards forced us into hard labour, digging up more coal from the ocean and refining them for their navy's use.

"The plan is to survive, wait out this war," my father replied in a low tone. I could see the pain in his eyes, most likely reliving the failure of our town's defence. I couldn't bring myself to look on, turning away from the once-proud man now forced to live his life as a prisoner of war. How could my heart not ache seeing the freefall he experienced? "Katara, I admire your courage, and I envy your youth. But people's lives are at stake here. The warden is a ruthless man, and he won't stand for any rebellion. I'm sorry."

Undaunted, Katara shot up and marched to the other side of the open area. Even though it was evening, I could see her silhouette clearer than ever, as her confident pose let her stand straighter than anyone on this rig. Climbing onto an old dining table, she grabbed a pan and banged it with a spoon. "You don't know me, but I know of you," she announced, getting everyone's attention, "Every child in my Water Tribe was rocked to sleep with stories of the brave Earth Kingdom and the courageous earth benders who guard its borders. Some of you may think that the Fire Nation has made you powerless."

I couldn't help but take my eyes off the ground and turn to the standing figure. Despite Katara's age and gender, her voice had much power and authority, almost like urging us to fight on. "Yes, they have taken away your ability to bend, but they can't take away your courage." Katara dropped her items and raised up a fist. "The time to fight back is now. I can tell you that the Avatar has returned! So remember your courage, earth benders! Let us fight for our freedom!" she exclaimed, her words echoing off the walls.

As she finished that speech, I almost wanted to jump to my own feet and applaud, but a hand on my shoulder prevented me from doing that. I looked around, and saw my dad shaking his head at me and warning me not to raise a fuss. I could feel my eyebrows creasing in frustration as the rig remained in silence. Except for some ill earth benders coughing, not a voice spoke. I turned to Katara, and her erect pose sagged. Her head dipped low, ashamed at the total rejection by these villagers, most of whom I knew well. My head sank too, pondering their reaction had I spoken out in favour of Katara.

Before long, a bell tolled, signalling that it was time to return to our cells. The prisoners trudged back into the rig's interior, again done in complete silence. I looked on guiltily as one of the guards grabbed Katara off the table and escorted her away as well. I was deeply embarrassed by the actions of these villagers, wondering what ever happened to the brave earth benders exemplified so well by this group. I was especially pained by my own father, who did a total about-face here. Silently, I swore I would rectify the issue, and show everyone here, my father included, that bending was our way back to freedom.

A sleepless night for me only became more restless as the guards pulled us into the open area at daybreak. They stated a headcount of the prisoners was needed due to an intruder. But soon, the invaders were located, pressed up against a vent and surrounded by guards. We raced forward and instantly I recognized the troublemakers: Katara and her brother Sokka. Trying to diffuse the situation, my dad told the siblings to surrender, as it was a battle that couldn't be won. Even though I understood the danger, I couldn't help but grimace at the words. How could he tell those trying to save us to just give up?

"Listen to him well, child," a threatening voice echoed above us. I glanced to Katara again and saw the warden approach. His emotionless face, mirroring his own cold tactics, increased my pulse and breathing rate at least tenfold. But before anyone could move, a stream of coal shot through the vent and scattered everyone, Katara and Sokka included. Confused, I stared around, not knowing what to make of this phenomenon.

Then, from the same vent the coal shot through, the Avatar leapt into sight. His face and tunic were covered with black soot, but it didn't matter as Katara took centre stage again. "Here's your chance, earth benders!" She grabbed a piece of coal and waved it before us, boldly declaring, "Take it! Your fate is in your own hands!"

Seeing the courageous pose, I truly wanted to dart forward and show these Fire Nation guards the power of earth bending. But guess who was stopping me again? That's right, my father, who lifted an arm and blocked my path. Looking around, I could see that no one else made a move. Most of them were either too scared to act, or didn't want to make this fuss even bigger. I could feel blood rushing in and out of my head, my brain spinning uncontrollably as I struggled in deciding what to do next. As that happened, the warden laughed at Katara's attempt to inspire us, belittling her every word. He stated that none of us had hope left, claiming that all hope was crushed when we were brought here.

His mockery struck a nerve in me, snapping any control inside my body. It was like my body was moving on its own as I charged in, much to the horror of my father and those earth benders around me. Lifting up some coal, I twirled them with my fingers, and hurled them at the warden. The stones made their mark, smacking the warden in the back of the head. The warden whipped around, glaring angrily at me for my defiance, only to be matched by my own stare. I wasn't about to let up, especially to this arrogant man who taunted my entire village. We weren't about to let the Fire Nation run roughshod over us. Twirling a couple more pieces of coal, I prepared to let them loose as well. If it weren't for freedom, then at least I must fight for my honour.

The cruel old man shot in two blasts of flame, the heat sizzling through the air towards me. The clacking of coal echoed around me just as the flame arrived. I glanced up just in time to see my father blocked the shot with a wall of black. It only enraged the warden even more as a few other earth benders lined up around us, forming a horizontal line. My father, directly to my right, glanced over with a smile. Nodding to everyone around, this was the time to fight back. "For the Earth Kingdom, attack!" he shouted.

There was sheer pandemonium as everyone was earth bending the coal. My father and I moved in unison, almost like we were one as we pulled up a large amount of coal. Using our bending, we pressed the coal together, forming a large, hard ball. Then, in one smooth motion, we kicked the ball at the wall, rocking its foundation and forming a hole. Estimating its size, we figured it would be a perfect escape route once we beat the guards. "Get to the ship, we'll hold them off!" Dad called to the others, pointing at the opening.

The warden, in a last ditch effort, tried to fire bend at the escapees, only to be stopped by the Avatar. Aang, in an ingenious move, created a funnel of air while Katara and Sokka loaded it with coal. Using the funnel as a slingshot, he fired a series of coal pieces at high velocity, hindering the warden's progress. Sensing our chances, Dad and I moved a large amount of coal under the cruel man, lifting him into the air and moving the coal over the sea. "Don't worry, I hear cowards float," I heard my father told the warden mockingly. Together, we relaxed our stances, dropping coal and warden into the water.

We finally boarded the vessels and headed for home. Even as Katara and friends had to move on, I was forever grateful for their actions, which inspired me to use my bending to take back our homes as well. Perhaps, one day, my bending might be put to use in a real battle. But for now, I was happy to play my small role and leave the rest to the Avatar. As my father and I waved farewell to the Sky Bison, I realized there was one more reason, other than parental bonding, for me to bend: I bend to obtain my freedom.

________________________________________

**Teo's POV**

The sounds of battle raged as I glanced through the small crack before me. For the last few months, my dad and I had been refining inventions for the invasion of the Fire Nation. Ever since Aang and the others found out there would be a solar eclipse on this day, they had been planning for an invasion of the Fire Nation capital city. Sokka got my father and I involved by reviewing some of Dad's old invention plans. With some fine-tuning, we created several new devices that would become useful in our invasion today.

And this machine I was currently in, a long metallic but flexible tank, was such an invention. Operating the lead tank, we had to disable Fire Nation sentry stations along the way. Taking aim at the station in front of me, I pulled some levers, moving the tank on top of it and wrapping it from above. Then, with hydraulics and the assistance of earth benders manipulating the earth making up the stone structure, we clamped down on the sentry station and crushed it into rubble. Not bad for my first land battle.

As we continued our march forward, we were taking heavy fire from the Fire Nation troops. The metallic interior heated up dramatically as we took blast after blast of flames. Perspiration dripping from my forehead, I manoeuvred around several of our own troops, supplying them with whatever defence needed. Wiping the front of my goggles, I glanced around and saw sentries and other bunkers still present. But they were not the biggest threat, as a cavalry of Komodo Rhinos charged out and aimed at our foot soldiers. "This is total mayhem," I called to the earth benders in my tank, "Let's provide cover."

We twisted around and pulled near the walls, trying to block the Komodo Rhinos from cutting off our foot soldiers. My dad, who drove around a supply truck dropping off large boulders for our earth benders to use, was under heavy fire as well. Even though a fair amount of boulders had been left on the ground, they weren't in convenient areas for our earth benders to launch their attacks. "This is bad," I murmured, "Really bad."

Things continued to stay disorganized until a large Sky Bison landed before us. The rider stood up and called to all of us, insisting that it was time to take out the central tower and make our way to the capital city. "It's Sokka, guys," I told those inside my tank, "He wants us in wedge formation and covering the foot soldiers. Let's move this thing around and provide cover. We're going to make the final push right now."

There wasn't any doubt in our minds what we would have once this succeeded. Our sudden change in tactics caught the Fire Nation off-guard, with most of their troops scrambling just to catch up to us. One of the Water Tribe warriors had a truck loaded with explosives heading straight for the wall. Jumping off at the last second, the truck bomb slammed into the stones, creating a huge explosion that rocked the foundation of the tower. With Fire Nation troops on the run, we were about to close in. "We're going to cross the gate, and then it's a straight line to the top of the mountain!" I announced.

My group let out a cheer as we ploughed forward, following Sokka's lead through the main gate. We were met by another line of defence for the Fire Nation, who formed a blockade with their tanks and shot flames at us. As the heat rained down on our group, we decided to realign ourselves. "Let's form a line of our own," I told the earth benders, "We'll provide cover with the sides of our tanks, and we'll earth bend out from the side panels. I'm going to see if I can get Sokka to communicate with the others."

Luckily, Sokka disembarked from Appa, and saw me wave him over amidst the chaos. After a quick chat, he managed to get the others to realign with me as well. "Let's see how the Fire Nation handles boulders being shot from our sides," I tilted my head behind, getting a look at the earth benders lining up, "Are you ready?"

Their nods of approval only excited me more as I pulled each lever controlling the side panels. Staring down the length of the tank, I had a perfect view of boulders flying out into the light and at the Fire Nation. Rumbles and tremors rocked the area as I pulled out the timer my father gave me, indicating the time of the eclipse. At this rate, we should be up the mountain before the eclipse began, and into the capital at its peak.

Suddenly, the outside became significantly darker. The moon's shadow slowly crept up to the sun, their exterior rims starting to cut into each other. My eyes alternated between the eclipse and the Fire Nation, their troops retreating as their attacks would soon be rendered irrelevant. "Guys, they're pulling back. This is our chance!" I shouted to the field leaders outside. In one swift move, we were ordered to pursue, whipping our tank around and heading straight for the mountain. Capital city, here we come.

________________________________________

**Haru's POV**

Our tanks rumbled down the mountainside, finally reaching the crater of the volcano. The eclipse was taking place as of we speak, with the Mechanist, our technology expert, telling us to put on sunglasses. Our group of earth bending foot soldiers rushed down the hill behind the tanks, ready to take out any Fire Nation soldiers. Knowing that they would have no fire bending left at this time, the capital city should be easy picking.

My father led our group down the capital city streets flushing out their troops. It just so happened that we ran into one battalion patrolling the area at the next block. He signalled us into position, getting into fighter stances as he called to the soldiers. "Stop! Surrender peacefully and we won't harm you!" he stated with authority.

The group leader across from us refused to cooperate, waving his arms around and pushing a fist towards us. Usually, this action meant we should probably dodge away, or at least bend out some rocks to block the fire. But today was the Day of Black Sun, meaning all fire benders would have their abilities minimized. With only a puff of smoke exiting his hand, the Fire Nation battalion leader had no choice but to concede. My father pointed to the two earth benders on the outermost of our formation. "You two, take them prisoner for now. We'll deal with them later on," he ordered.

Throughout the eclipse, our group marched around the city, trying to find any enemy forces. But surprisingly, the place was quieter than the mines near my hometown. Not a soul was around as it seemed like the city was evacuated. "Do you think they knew about the invasion, and planned an escape to avoid losing the war?" I asked my dad.  
"I'm not sure, Haru," he replied, hesitance in his tone. He led us back to the city centre, where our tanks were parked at the moment. The eclipse was nearly over, but still there was nothing from the Avatar. "This does seem kind of suspicious to me."

Suddenly, a series of ominous shadows arose from behind the palace. We all glanced up and saw several war balloons, each with the distinctive Fire Nation insignia, floating above our heads. But even scarier were the enormous mechanical airships lifting off behind them. They took to the skies, which had brightened considerably as the moon had officially lifted its veil over the sun. With fire bending back in full force, there was no doubt in our minds what was about to happen. "Let's get back to the subs!"

Panic suddenly took over as our invasion team hurried away from the city and back down the mountain. The Avatar had returned to us, stating that his attempt to face the Fire Lord resulted in a failure. They pretty much confirmed everyone's fears that the Fire Nation knew of this invasion long ago, and made plans to prepare for it. Now, with our group on the run, the only hope we had was to get to the submarines and evacuate before the airships burned us to a crisp. "Aang and Katara are holding them off," my dad told our earth bending team, "Let's hurry before the airships reach us!"

Bombs sizzled down from the skies, shaking the hills violently as soil and pebbles raining down from our rocky shields. We could see that the airships didn't consider us the main target, heading straight for the submarines, seeking to destroy our only source to escape. Sensing that there were few options left, Hakoda, the leader of the invasion, made a fateful decision. "You kids have to leave. You have to escape on Appa together."

It was decided that the youngest of the group would leave while the adults stayed behind as prisoners. "I've got some experience with the Fire Nation prisons," my father stated, approaching the Water Tribe warrior, "It's not going to be easy, but at least we'll all survive." With that, he brought me forward, insisting I got onto the Sky Bison.

I could hear our subs exploding in the distance as the parents said goodbye to all the children. The Mechanist went first, placing his paraplegic son onto Appa. "I'm really proud of you," Teo told his father, holding him in a hug. I was truly impressed by how this boy did all the tank operations while coping with this disability.

Seeing Teo's actions, I couldn't help but embrace my own father as well, telling him that I would be back for him. "If I don't escape the prison first," Dad retorted, slight defiance in his tone. We performed quite well at our first imprisonment, breaking out with ease and overthrew the Fire Nation battalion at our town. Maybe the second go would be more successful? But either way, we had to stay alive to fight another day.

As Appa took off, my eyes were peeled for the invasion team standing helplessly at the foot of the mountain. Anytime now, the Fire Nation troops would gather them all up. I felt a pang of sadness in me, as shortly after I regained my father, I ended up losing him again. Clenching a fist, I vowed to help the Avatar do whatever possible to defeat the Fire Nation so that one day, nobody had to be taken prisoner by these cruel troops again.

________________________________________

**Teo's POV**

"I told you! It's The Duke!" the young boy's voice echoed throughout the main chamber of the Western Air Temple as Haru and I went off to explore. Shortly after we left the Fire Nation capital, Aang decided that the Western Air Temple would be a great hiding ground for us, indicating its remote location and far distance from any main points of civilization as advantages. Given that I had never seen another Air Temple other than the Northern one before, I was naturally intrigued, and decided to investigate.

Haru helped my wheelchair up a flight of stairs before we took off for another ramp, leading away from the central plaza. Even at first glance, this place truly amazed me, as it was built into the side of a large canyon, with structures hanging down like large stalactites. There was a huge fountain in the middle, the water still moving and spraying twice as high as an adult's height. Looking back at the centre, I couldn't help but admire the scene. Amidst the sounds of the young boy correcting yet another one of my so-called butchered attempts at his name, insisting that there was a "The" in front of "Duke," we shot down the ramp and into a darker part of the temple.

I glanced around the dim area, trying to see past the two standing figures now situated on my either side. A sense of wonder descended upon us three as we saw the line of sculptures, each one depicting a different air bender, carved into the walls. There were air bender sculptures on the walls at my home, but never in this quantity or prestige. "It's so different compared to the Northern Air Temple," I stated in awe.

Haru tilted his head at me, one eyebrow slightly cocked. "Didn't you say you were from an Earth Kingdom town?" he inquired, intrigued by my comment.

"Oh," I stuttered, realizing that I hadn't fully told him my past. I rolled the wheelchair along the hall, letting Haru and The Duke slowly follow me. "My original hometown was destroyed by a flood, and for the first few years of my life I lived as a nomad of sorts. It wasn't until my father found the abandoned Northern Air Temple and made it into a home for my villagers and me that I had a permanent residence."

"I see," Haru responded, his tone slightly sombre, "And is that why you have to use a wheelchair? You lost use of your legs in that flood, right?"

I could feel my face freeze up slightly as the question arrived. The only sounds around us were footsteps echoing down the empty hallway. "Yeah, I've been a paraplegic since I could barely walk, and I've been confined to a wheelchair all this time," I replied, feeling the stone gazes of the air benders, "it was with this, and my father's own interest in machinery that inspired me to be involved in designing new pieces of technology." I didn't want to tell them about my father's involvement with the Fire Nation. Even though I forgave him, and he did more than his fair share of making up for the mistake, it was an issue that still touched a nerve, and I tried my best to avoid it.

But Haru had a story of his own as well. Just as we turned the corner, away from this hall and going deeper into the temple, he referred to his town's experience with the Fire Nation. "Just like you, my town had its fair share of disasters during my younger years. Because we were a resource-based area, with an abundance of coal, the Fire Nation had always wanted our land to supply fuel to their navy. My dad was among those who fought back, and unfortunately he was captured," Haru explained, closing a fist.

My eyes tilted to the tall figure at my right, and I could feel The Duke turning his eyes the same way as well. This teenage, goateed earth bender was no longer standing so brave and proud, as a pronounced slouch curved his back. "It was Katara who inspired me to fight back against the Fire Nation. She even got herself arrested just to break us out of jail," Haru described. His tone grew quieter, so much so that the soft wind blowing in from the openings behind us nearly overtook his voice. "Dad and I, along with the other villagers, just took back our town from the Fire Nation. Our family just got reunited when Hakoda went around the Earth kingdom recruiting people for the invasion. Naturally, my dad and I took part, but then that happened." Haru tilted his head in the direction of the exterior, signalling the failure that saw the Fire Nation take all the adults prisoners.

I sighed, turning my eyes to the ground. The cobbled stones went under my wheelchair one by one, our pace slowing down dramatically as I mulled over what was just said. I might have only known Haru for a few days, but suddenly I realized all the similarities we had. Our pasts were both marred by tragedy that involved the absence of one parent, and we both had to cope with the Fire Nation in our own way. And, perhaps in a strange twist of fate, we managed to cooperate with each other in this invasion. "At least you know you're not alone in getting through this," I told Haru, staring up at the tall figure, "I'm in the same boat as you, and we'll get through this together."

I could see Haru turn back to me, the sunlight illuminating half his face, but still enough to show a smile crawling up his face. "Thanks, Teo," he responded, placing a hand on the back of my wheelchair, "To be honest, I should be impressed by you, because you managed your way through life without the ability to walk, hence without the ability to bend. It takes a lot of courage to do that, I'll say," he commented.

"No, actually," I replied, pointing back at Haru, "I'm really impressed by you. You never had a chance to freely practice bending, since you said the Fire Nation pretty much put your town under martial law. So for you to not just be proficient at earth bending, but to do it under dangerous circumstances, I say that's an achievement."

"Guys, come look at this!" The Duke shouted, waving us over to a darker area in the corner. While we had been talking, somehow we lost track of The Duke, who went ahead in exploring on his own. Now, it seemed like he discovered something unusual in this little nook, and wanted us to check it out. "I think this leads somewhere."

Haru and I looked on as The Duke tried to dislodge one of the stones covering the front. When I first arrived, I wondered if there would be secret chambers and passages, the same things that were so common at the Northern Air Temple. But now, it seemed like the Western Air Temple was the same, and we were in for a big surprise. "So Duke, are you going in first?" I asked, my eyes widening involuntarily.

"The Duke, not Duke!" the youngster snapped, glaring daggers into my face, "And since I'm the smallest one, I guess I can go first." He and Haru cleared out a few more blocks and glanced into the darkness before slipping through opening. His cries of excitement echoed through the tunnel before being replaced by a dull thud.

"Hey, are you alright down there?" Haru called, kneeling down to the same level as the opening. We could hear his muffled voice sounding like he was describing the area below. It sounded something like rocks, statues, and other holy objects being found. "I think I'm going to follow," Haru stated, climbing into the hole as well.

Seeing my two friends disappear into the darkness, I decided to follow as well. Being in a wheelchair, I had to move more carefully as to avoid being stuck. Luckily, the tunnel was wide enough, and before long I could hear the wheels rolling down below. I could see silhouettes of humans standing in line, their stony gazes guarding this chamber as I rumbled towards them. Sensing that I was about to reach the bottom, I reached for my brakes. But this time, I could tell something was different, as the sounds and my deceleration weren't up to par. "Look out!" I yelled, hoping those underneath could get away in time as I tried to manually stop myself from crashing and turning into oblivion.

________________________________________

**Haru's POV**

"How many days has it been since Sokka and Zuko took off on us?" Teo asked as we edged towards the tunnel leading to the underground hall of statues again. Much to the whole group's surprise, Prince Zuko, heir to the Fire Nation throne and our supposed sworn enemy showed up at our temple and offered to join our group. He stated that Aang still didn't master fire bending, and that he would be a good candidate as Aang's teacher. Naturally, there was some mistrust hearing that, knowing his history, but he proved to be surprisingly friendly, bonding well with most of us and even gaining our respect. To us, this former Fire Nation enemy definitely redeemed himself, that's for sure.

"It's been at least two now. Three, if you count the fact that it's night time," I replied, pushing the rocks out of the way. Zuko's been here for less than a week, and he spent most of his time with the Avatar, demonstrating different fire bending techniques. It didn't work very well at first, as Zuko temporarily lost ability to fire bend. But after a trip to an ancient city from a thought-to-be-extinct tribe called the Sun Warriors, Zuko and Aang seemed to have found inspiration to fire bend again. This time though, Zuko went with Sokka, supposedly on a fishing trip, and wouldn't be back for a while.

As usual, The Duke slid in first, followed by me. But I made sure to provide some type of contingency measures to ensure Teo's wheelchair didn't spin out of control again. The first time we came down here, Teo's brakes choked up, causing my good friend to tumble to the ground, scraping up his head in the process. He managed to fix the brakes now, but just to be safe, I stood at the mouth of the tunnel, waiting patiently for him to come down. "If need be, I'll bend some pebbles up just to slow you down," I called.

But there was no need, as the wheelchair hurtled down the chute, making a perfect landing and screeching to a halt. Teo's brakes worked perfectly as he grinned at me. "No need to bend, everything's fine. Now, let's go back to that bending practice chamber!"

The Duke was the first to race off while Teo and I followed closely behind. There were several areas in the back rooms that had loose boulders and other rock pieces, which made it ideal for earth bending. I developed a few new tricks on my journeys there, and I was intent on showing Teo and The Duke just what they were about. "Speaking of which, Teo," I turned to my paraplegic friend, "Are there any benders in your group?"

Teo chuckled. "That depends on your definition of bending," he responded coyly, "If bending to you means what you do, actually manipulating the elements in sequence with your body, then no. But if bending to you means taking certain aspects of a certain type of bending, mimicking it and enhancing it, then I'm proud to say we're air benders."

My eyes grew wide as we entered the room of interest. Teo might have lived in the Northern Air Temple for years, but never had I imagined him having the ability to do air bending techniques. "What do you mean?" I inquired, "What can you guys do?"

Not even the most traumatizing events could wipe the smile off Teo's face as explained how his father, The Mechanist, modified air bender gliders for non benders to use. "For me, things were a bit different, because I had to be on a wheelchair. But in the end, it's all the same, as I had to manipulate the air currents around me in order to gain flight," Teo described, shrugging as he thought about his experiences, "To me, flying is a sense of freedom. For a little while, it allowed me to forget that I was bound to this set of wheels. All in all, bending is my liberator, and I'm going to use it to liberate the world."

Hearing that, I couldn't help but nod, a grin stretching across my face as well. "You sound so much like me, you know that?" I commented, giving him a pat on the shoulder, "For me, I bend for pretty much the same reason."

Teo looked on as I approached the stone wall. Placing a hand next to the largest pieces, I made some of the settled dust levitate towards me. Squeezing the dust together, I formed a few small earthen balls, twirling them in the air with my fingers as I told Teo about what bending meant to me. "You know I told you that my father was captured by the Fire Nation before for fighting back, right? It just so happens that before he left, he taught me all the basics of earth bending, and that's how I knew the techniques even though he was absent all this time,” I recalled, my eyes glued to the rotating balls.

"So when Katara came in and inspired you guys to break out, that's when you got to show your dad the earth bending progress you made?" Teo asked, rolling up to me and placing his head closer to the earthen balls, "And that's why you felt bending represented freedom to you. Because it got you and your father out of jail, correct?"

I squeezed my hand into a fist, the balls stopping their spinning and clumped into an even larger sphere. "Not only that, but earth bending managed to get us our town back, at least after we got out," I continued, thinking of the first battles our villagers fought in regaining our town, "I got a chance to fight alongside the most skilled earth benders of our town, and it was truly an eye-opener. I was still a relative novice in terms of bending, but to get my dad and the other elders' approvals, that truly meant something. And it also inspired me to help them liberate other towns, and later on help Aang save the world."

With that, I pushed my arm out, sending the earthen sphere into the wall, melding it into the rocks and making a conglomerate of sorts. "You know, if we do get through this ordeal, and the Fire Nation is defeated by Aang and the others, I would like to invite you to my town," I offered to Teo, "I think most of the villagers would be thrilled to meet you, considering your unique history. Would you like to come, if that happens?"

Teo beamed in delight, accepting the offer without hesitation. "But that means you have to come visit my group afterwards, in the Northern Air Temple," he countered, "I would love to strap a glider onto you and see how well you handle flight."

I chuckled, imagining the crazy things Teo's friends would attempt in the air. For me, flying was almost never an option. As an earth bender, my comfort zone was on the ground, close to the earth and such. I needed to feel the soil around me to be secure, and to be that far up in the air was something I dreaded. But then I met Teo, and it made me realize that in this world, nothing was impossible. Besides, should the Avatar set a new order for the world, perhaps it was only fitting that people of different elements should interact more with each other. And if it meant putting high-flying Teo on the ground, and strapping a glider onto my soil-covered back, then so be it. The world was ready for a change, and Teo and I were intent to play our parts. After a bit more earth bending, Teo and I decided to go back up. Taking The Duke with us, we spent the rest of the night wondering what would happen to our future, and what new challenges it might hold.

We awoke to the sounds of a huge mechanical airship, piloted by none other than Zuko and Sokka. The doors opened to reveal two people; one was a teenage girl who Sokka identified as Suki, the leader of the Kyoshi warriors, but the other was a familiar face we had been dying to see: Hakoda. Despite Toph's complaints that Zuko and Sokka didn't bring back any meat, we were overjoyed to be reunited with our invasion leader. Zuko brought Aang aside, demanding what progress the Avatar made on fire bending, while Sokka and Katara spent time with their father and Suki. But for me, this signalled that things were looking up. Although Hakoda insisted another Fire Nation invasion was not on his mind at the moment, I had a feeling that, somehow, this war was near its end.

________________________________________

**POV's of Haru and Teo together. Italics are thought processes.**

The crowds erupted into cheers as the final head piece was placed onto Zuko's head, signifying his official coronation as the new Fire Lord. From the crowd, we hugged our respective fathers, exhilarated and relieved that the war was finally over. It wasn't easy, as the Fire Nation managed to track us at the Western Air Temple, launching a new attack on us and forcing some of us to flee. While we left with Hakoda, The Duke, and Chit Sang, a prisoner who escaped prison with Hakoda, Aang and the rest of his group decided to fight on, biding for time until the final battle with Fire Lord Ozai.

And what a battle it was. We heard that Aang and the Fire Lord actually had a one-on-one battle, but Aang couldn't bring himself to kill the Fire Lord. Instead, he told us of a new technique that allowed him to strip Ozai of his bending. With the tyrant no longer posing a threat, it was relatively easy for Zuko to ascend the throne, promising us a new era of "love, peace, and hope." We glanced around to see members of all different nationalities gathering here. To us, even before taking the first step, Zuko had already made progress, as no Fire Lord before permitted this large variety of people to attend. As we gathered around, realizing how much the world had changed and how we changed along with it, there was one common thought going through both our minds.

_My name is Haru…_

_My name is Teo…_

_That was my story. Those were my rites of passage._


	6. Earth King Kuei

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Each character grows up with a set of experiences unique to themselves. Watch each person describe what went through their minds and how they changed as they reacted to the world. These are their stories, these are their rites of passage.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: Michael DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko own Avatar.

The large doors at the far end of the wide room blasted open, letting in a violent rush of air. As the dust cleared, I could see a boy dressed in blue on the ground, rubbing the back of his head. I could feel my hands grip the sides of my seat harder, my fingers turning white as three other figures barged in as well. Helping the boy up, they raced down the aisle and straight at me. "Who are you?" I demanded with a gasp, just as a line of men in dark green robes lined up before me, facing the intruders aggressively.

Immediately, they held their ground, standing in a horizontal line across the room and whipping out their set of very unique weapons. There was a bald boy with a blue arrow on his head standing to my furthest left. He seemed to be the youngest of the bunch, wearing a yellow and orange robe-like tunic and holding a staff to his side. "We have to talk to you," he stated strongly and firmly, his eyes set straight to me.

My most trusted advisor, Long Feng, who I had known throughout my life, turned to me with a grimace. "They're here to overthrow you," he replied, waving his arm at the invaders. Seeing how they brandished their weapons at me, I would say I agree with him.

"No, we're on your side!" the boy who fell in insisted. I got a better look at him, figuring he was most likely the oldest of the bunch. He was the second person from the right, and wielded a set of bladed clubs. Although I was a bit intimidated, I was also curious to see how the clubs were used. Nothing in the Earth Kingdom was remotely close to that!

"You have to trust us," a girl standing between the club wielder and the bald boy emphasized in a gentler but just as tough voice. She was also dressed in blue, which made me believe that she was probably related to the one on her left. For some strange reason, her weapon of choice was a stream of water, hovering in the air just in front of her. I had no idea how it stayed floating like that, and that only made me more suspicious.

Frustration building inside me, I decided to take action. Taking a deep breath, I gathered all the courage inside me, forcing myself to my feet and confronted these unruly guests. "You invade my palace, lay waste to all my guards, break down my fancy door, and you expect me to trust you?" I retorted, glaring at them through my glasses, "If you are on my side, then drop your weapons and stand down!" I commanded firmly.

Finally, all four relaxed their stances. My eyes tilted from left to right, seeing the staff dropped, the water placed back into a sash on the girl's waist, the bladed clubs hit the ground, and a large boulder released. My eyes stayed on the far right, where a fourth group member, a girl in dirty Earth Nation garbs stood idly. Out of the four, she was the only one that probably resembled anything I knew. But it was her misty eyes that scared me the most, as those dull spheres sent a sharp piercing sensation through my body.

Nonetheless, I let Long Feng take over. The balding man raised a hand in the air. The Dai Li agents, the palace security guards, threw out earthen handcuffs and bound the invaders' wrists behind their backs. "Detain the assailants," Long Feng ordered, the team sliding across the hall before screeching to a halt behind them. Despite their protests, I heard Long Feng say, "Make sure the Avatar and his friends never see daylight again."

Suddenly, I halted. Turning to my long-time confidant, I couldn't believe the words coming out of his mouth. I had heard stories of the Avatar from my ancestors, all of whom were Earth Kings before me. In fact, my ancestor from six generations back actually had a chance to work with an Avatar, an Earth Kingdom woman named Kyoshi. So, hearing that the current Avatar was with us, I couldn't help but get curious. "The Avatar? You're the Avatar?" I asked, pointing at the male teenager in blue.

The teenager tilted his head to the right, in which the bald boy waved at me. He pretty much proved his ability when he did earth bending on the handcuffs, freeing his arms to signal to me. Despite the friendly overture, Long Feng soon cut in, claiming that they were enemies of the state. "Perhaps you're right," I muttered, mulling it over. To my advisor, I was nothing more than a child, so who was a kid like me to question my elders?

Just then, my pet bear lumbered up to the group. It was about a week ago that we threw a party for him, and I did recall seeing someone similar to the Avatar's appearance do a performance that really got Bosco's attention. I didn't catch too much of a glimpse, as within seconds of me being carted out on a palanquin, I was pulled away again. I wasn't sure if the performers were seen as invaders or something like that, but the party was nearly called off. Yet, seeing Bosco give the Avatar a lick, I couldn't help but crack a smile. "Though Bosco seems to like him," I pointed out, "I'll hear what he has to say." I had never seen anyone like them before, so it wouldn't hurt to find out more, right?

The bald boy came forward and introduced himself as Aang. "There's a war going on right now, for the past one hundred years, in fact. The Dai Li kept it secret from you. It's a conspiracy to control the city, and to control you," he stated, his grey eyes staring right at me, "Long Feng didn't want us to tell you, so he stole our Sky Bison to blackmail us. And blackmail's the least of his crimes, as he brainwashed our friend!"

Long Feng turned to me with an unimpressed face, claiming that he had never even seen such animals before, as he thought they were extinct. Shifting slightly on my throne, I mulled everyone's words carefully. The large, dim chamber was in complete silence, the small flames dancing in the shadows around each stone pillar. Turning my head slightly, I could see Long Feng's determined eyes right at my face. Sighing, I made my decision. "I have to trust my advisor," I concluded, waving the guests away.

Suddenly, the Avatar and his friends had a strange suggestion. Turning to Long Feng, they demanded that he lifted his robe. My trusty minister naturally refused, and I admit that should I be placed in the same situation, I would too. But Aang did almost the unthinkable, sucking in a huge breath of air and blew it towards Long Feng. I could only shield my face as the head of the Dai Li took the force head on, his robe flapping up and into his face. Although I couldn't see it clearly, I could hear the Avatar's group yell excitedly as the wind died down, pointing at a weird pattern on Long Feng's lower leg.

Upon hearing that, Long Feng insisted that it was an old birthmark that he wasn't particularly proud of. But the evidence soon became clearer as the youngsters brought in a large, white, furry, six-legged animal. Aang got the bison to bare its teeth, comparing them to the markings of Long Feng's legs. While the match was strong, I was still quite unconvinced of their crazy conspiracy theory and talks of a secret war. "But this matter's worth looking into though," I pointed out, "So where do you want us to start?"

________________________________________

"That's a drill. A giant drill made by the Fire Nation to break through your walls," Sokka, the teenage boy dressed in blue explained. After some careful consideration, I decided to go along with the Avatar and his group to check out some of the evidence that point to this so-called conspiracy and secret war. We originally rode on a monorail to Lake Laogai, and I truly didn't expect it to be packed with people. But then again, I had never been outside the palace throughout my twenty-five years in existence, so seeing the city of Ba Sing Se as a whole was a completely new experience for me.

But when we got to Lake Laogai, we didn't find what they claimed. Toph, their earth bender, lifted a series of rocks resembling a runway from the water. That act truly impressed me, as they told me that Toph was blind. To have a blind person do that was truly amazing, but excitement was soon replaced by annoyance as no secret passage was present. Claiming that the group was wasting my time, I was about to return to the palace when Sokka offered to bring me to the Outer Wall of the city. As an added bonus, he told me I could become the first Earth King to fly a Sky Bison if I tagged along.

And after a terrifying but exhilarating ride, we finally reached the Outer Wall. I gathered enough courage to look down, my head still spinning from the flight, but the scene couldn't be clearer to me. A large metallic machine was imbedded into the wall, the surrounding area fenced off as soldiers stood on guard on top of the wall. "I can't believe I never knew," I murmured, bowing my head in shame as Aang landed Appa on the wall. Disembarking from the Sky Bison, I could only grip the side of the wall, my eyes staying on the machine below. On the hull was the Fire Nation insignia, positioned front and centre on the drill and reflecting the sunlight at me almost tauntingly.

Just then, Long Feng shot up from a nearby trapdoor, with two Dai Li agents accompanying him. Stepping up to us, he had on his usual stoic demeanour. He offered to explain the presence of said drill, claiming it was a construction project funded by the Fire Nation. "You know you can't trust domestic machinery," Long Feng explained. Even with the usual authoritarian tone, I could hear the stutters in his voice.

I could feel my head swing back and forth between my most trusted advisor and the group of children. My mind spun more violently than ever before, as I couldn't just throw out everything Long Feng taught me throughout my life. On the other hand, no one, not even the Earth King, could disregard the claims of an Avatar that easily. I took one more look at the drill below, with that Fire Nation symbol carved into the top, and I realized that the evidence was too great. Turning to the guards, I simply ordered, "Dai Li, arrest Long Feng. I want him to stand trial for crimes against the Earth Kingdom."

I could see the shocked expression on Long Feng's face, as my closest confidant was apprehended by the two agents to his either side. I figured that he probably felt a bit betrayed by my actions, but I had to do something for my kingdom right now. Because I took the throne at the age of four, I simply didn't have the knowledge of the kingdom to make crucial decisions. Long Feng had been in the bureaucracy since then, and had been with me during the time I grew up. He slowly worked his way to this position as the head of the Dai Li and as a chief minister, staying loyal to me throughout. But right now, the proof against him was just too strong. If he was the chief minister, the least he could do was to clear up the situation. So, when the Dai Li took him back down the same shaft he came up from, I turned to the Avatar and requested to be taken back to the palace.

There was complete silence during the flight back, compounding to my already increasing level of shame. How could I have been so blind to what the world was going through? My own capital city was almost invaded, yet I sat on my throne expecting the Dai Li to protect me, only to have them double-cross me and cover up the incident. Given that they were the cultural police, had they denied this knowledge to the citizens as well? How many lives were at stake should the Fire Nation succeed in their invasion? As Appa landed at the palace, I trudged back to the throne room, my head dipped lower than ever before. "I want to thank you young heroes for opening my eyes," I told Aang's group as I climbed onto my throne, "All this time, what I thought was a great metropolis was a city of fools, and that makes me the king fool," I stated, shielding my eyes with one hand.

I could feel four sets of emotionless eyes piercing through my body. I didn't know if they were disappointed at such an imbecile being a king, or if they were trying to take pity on me for my blindness to the world. I didn't want their assurances right now, as all this was brought upon me by myself. As I continued to admonish myself, Sokka spoke up. "We think you can help us end the war," he explained, telling us that a comet would come by summer that would empower the Fire Nation even more, to the point where they could wipe out the world. "Before the comet comes, we have a window of opportunity. A solar eclipse is coming. The sun will be entirely blocked out by the moon, and the fire benders will be helpless. That's the day we need to invade the Fire Nation!" he declared.

At first, I was unconvinced, as any invasion required a lot of manpower. To move all those troops out of Ba Sing Se and onto another battlefield would leave us vulnerable. Just as I was about to make my point, Sokka corrected me yet again. "You're already vulnerable. The Fire Nation won't stop until Ba Sing Se falls. You can either sit back and wait for that to happen, or take the offensive and give yourself a fighting chance."

Instantly, I could feel a surge of energy race through me, pushing my slouched posture into a straight one and lifting my chin away from my sternum. Sokka was right, I thought. Instead of grumbling over the past mistakes, I should focus on the future and use every means to rectify it. Turning to Aang's group, I agreed to their demands and told them I would contact the Council of Five, the top generals of the Earth Kingdom to plan for this invasion. For all the years that I had lived with such an immature mindset, seeing the world with rose-coloured glasses on, this was the least I could do. It was time for me to grow up and faced the world like a man, and nothing was going to stop me.

________________________________________

"Aang and Sokka, I wish you a good journey." I told the Avatar and his Water Tribe warrior friend, who were positioned right before Appa. After Long Feng's arrest, we raided his office, and it turned out that he was spying on the Avatar's group the whole time. He even intercepted their mail, including one from Sokka and Katara's father, who had a fleet of Water Tribe ships guarding the bay that sailed straight into Ba Sing Se. As well, there was one for Aang from a guru at the Eastern Air Temple who offered to teach him some new skills. "Ba Sing Se owes you its thanks, and we look forward to your safe return," I concluded, just in time to see them return with a bow.

I beamed as I watched Sokka and Aang get onto Appa. Because one person must stay to discuss battle plans, Katara volunteered to remain at the palace. We also received a letter hidden in Long Feng's office that Toph's parents were in Ba Sing Se, and had wanted to see her. Since that would take Toph's attention away from the planning, Katara was the only one available. As Katara and I were about to take the steps back up to the palace, one of the guards approached. "Your majesty, there are three female warriors here to see you. They're from the island of Kyoshi," he reported, signalling below.

I glanced down just in time to see three young ladies. They were dressed in green robes, with strange decorative pieces sticking out their hair, and their faces covered in white make-up. I had been told by both the Council of Five and the Avatar's group, who supposedly knew these warriors quite well, that they were on their way to the city. "Let's welcome them as honoured guests," I decided, instructing the guards to summon them.

I saw the Avatar take off with Sokka, while Toph bid us farewell as she wandered into the city. Katara was the only one left, and she decided to wait for me in the Council's planning room. As the guards lined up, I welcomed the visitors. "In our hour of need, it is with the highest honour that I welcome our esteemed allies, the Kyoshi Warriors!" The threesome got to their knees and bowed before me just as I announced their names.

After a quick introduction, I invited them into the throne room. This would be where the warriors would spend most of their times, serving as my personal bodyguards for the next little while. Turning to Bosco, who was on his stomach just before the throne, I took a seat and showed him our visitors. "The Kyoshi Warriors are here to protect us. Aren't you excited?" I asked, gently pulling on his face.

Bosco replied with a low groan, which only got my spirits higher as I turned to the ladies. "It's been a difficult week for me," I explained, recalling the events that really changed my life, "My most trusted advisor, Long Feng, and the Dai Li agents, tried to take control of Ba Sing Se from me." Although I never revealed it, I actually didn't want to trust anyone for the last little while. But after the Avatar and his group told me how I could make the difference in this war, I was convinced to open up my heart again. Now, to see the Kyoshi Warriors, close friends of the Avatar's group, come to my aid, I felt more relaxed than ever before. Somehow, things were going to be different in the future.

"It's terrible when you couldn't trust the people closest to you." the girl in the centre, who I assumed to be the leader of the group, commented. Those words had some special connotation for me, as throughout my life, Long Feng was the one making my every decision. Aang's friends were right, as in a private conversation, they told me that it was almost like I was a mere figurehead. Maybe they had a point that I was somewhat of a puppet, but at least things were better now that I had control of the throne again.

"But there is good news," I responded, "As we speak, the Council of Five is meeting to plan an invasion of the Fire Nation this summer on the day of a solar eclipse." I described each detail with pride, knowing that our allies would be there to support us when we took down the Fire Nation. I could see the team listen to my every detail, like they wanted to know better so they could prepare for it too. The more the merrier, right?

Before long, I lost track of the time, and realized that I should probably meet up with Katara in the war chamber to get a status report from the generals. "I'm going to have to be excused for the moment. Why don't we take you to the guest rooms first? I'm sure you must be tired from the long journey you took here." With that, I summoned a few servants to take our honoured guests away. As they spoke softly to themselves, I couldn't help but smile. "Alright Bosco, I'm leaving for a while. Be good, okay?"

I managed to fetch a nearby messenger as I exited the throne room, asking him to check on the status of the Council of Five. "I didn't recall them needing your presence, your highness, but if they are indeed ready, then perhaps all you have to do is give them your approval of their plans. Do you still want me to check?" He asked.

I cupped my chin, wondering if that was still required. If the generals had the plans under control, then perhaps my visit to their headquarters might be just a disturbance. Maybe it was best to let them handle it on their own. Besides, while Long Feng betrayed me, it wasn't like the generals would be a threat to my security, right? "In that case, I think a meeting with them won't be necessary. I'll just wait for whatever news they'll send," I told the messenger, dismissing him as I wandered off to my chambers. Knowing that the kingdom was in such great hands, I didn't have a single worry now.

________________________________________

"Katara's fine. You have nothing to worry about," I assured the Avatar and his group. For some strange reason, Aang, Sokka and Toph returned to the palace, claiming that Aang had a vision that Katara had been captured or something like that. I wasn't sure why such a preposterous claim that had no evidence supporting it would take them away from their important missions. To be frank, I was a bit surprised they all believed it.

"She met with the Council of Generals to plan the invasion, and since then, she's been off with your friends, the Kyoshi Warriors," I told Aang, regurgitating the day's details to them. I personally didn't see why they were worried. With the Kyoshi Warriors being such great fighters, shouldn’t they have more faith in their own allies?

Sokka was the first to relax his pose, claiming that everyone was probably at their apartment. I could still see the worry in Aang's eyes, his face tilting to the ground and not looking at anyone. Sensing that he was unconvinced, I continued on, "Believe me, if there was any danger at all, Bosco's animal instincts would sense it." I signalled to my pet bear, who was peacefully napping away at my feet.

Sokka and Toph managed to convince Aang to return to their apartment. As they closed the throne room's large doors behind them, it was when I realized that the entire area was in complete silence. Except for breathing sounds from Bosco and me, nothing could be heard in this wide chamber. My calmness was somewhat overtaken by a slight concerned feeling. In these dangerous times, anything could happen right now. "Hey Bosco, do you think the Kyoshi Warriors are really at the apartment?" I asked my bear, who looked up nonchalantly, "Maybe we should get someone to fetch them back."

It would be another harrowing few minutes before two Kyoshi Warriors returned to the room. I breathed a sigh of relief, feeling my heart ease the pounding on my chest as they took their positions near the throne. I didn't even bother asking them where they truly went, or why they took so long to return, or where the third person was. I was just happy that they got back, and that they could provide defence of the area again. I watched the twosome talk quietly, completely relaxed as my safety was guaranteed once again. What would I ever do without these trustworthy and reliable allies?

Just then, Sokka and Toph burst in, panting in exhaustion and telling us that got here just in time. "In time for what?" I asked, confused by the commotion.

That was when one of the warriors somersaulted towards Sokka, leaning her face close to his flirtingly. Some inaudible words were said before Toph shot a pillar of rock from under the warrior's feet. "They're not the real Kyoshi Warriors!" she declared.

Before long, an all-out brawl took place, with the two supposedly fake warriors advancing in on Sokka and Toph, who brandished the bladed club and stones respectively in an effort to expose the warriors' identities. Unfortunately, the battlefield was between my throne and the door, meaning an escape wasn't viable. Amidst flying blades, rocks being shot out from the ground, and a jabbing sequence between one warrior and Sokka, I could only look on in shock. How could the Kyoshi Warriors be defeated on their way here? And if they were replaced, then were these imposters from the Fire Nation?

But that was soon confirmed as a strong hand was wrapped around my neck. With a blue flame flickering from her finger, the leader of this invasion group demanded the battle be ended. The heat tickled my cheek, threatening to puncture my skin as Sokka and Toph shot their hands up. One warrior stepped up and jabbed at their bodies, causing them to fall limp to the ground as a series of Dai Li agents showed up. "Get them all out of my sight," the female leader orders, shoving me into the hands of one agent. As we were led away from the throne room, that was when I saw Long Feng enter. He didn't say a word to me, but seeing where he was headed, I knew where his new loyalties were.

I tried to holler out, but to no avail as the Dai Li agents pushed us out. Now, seeing the kingdom's highest official and his agents give up the Earth Kingdom to the Fire Nation, I couldn't feel my heart sink to my feet. How could the person that I trusted the most, throughout my entire life, betray me like that? Was it for money? Was it for power? Why would he hand the kingdom to our enemies like that? Whatever the true reason was, my heart was truly broken. The line of Earth Kings might very well end with me, but that was minimal considering what might happen to the people. With the Fire Nation about to arrive any moment and the Dai Li on their side, who could save us now?

________________________________________

"All clear," Sokka informed Toph as he peered out the peephole of our cell. This was where the Dai Li had taken us after we were attacked. I had always declared that prisoners be taken to these cells as they awaited trial, but never in my entire life had I imagined that I would become a prisoner myself. Now, to feel these dark and damp walls around me, I truly realized the grave situation we were now in for.

Just as Sokka announced that the coast was clear, Toph marched up to the metal door. I had to admit that I was curious at how Toph was going to get us out, as she said she developed a modified type of earth bending that allowed her to manipulate metal. To be honest, it was the first time since the Dai Li arrested us that I lifted my head, with only thoughts of the impending apocalypse for the Earth Kingdom swirled in my mind. Soon, the Fire Nation military would march into Ba Sing Se, conquering the land and placing my people in great hardship. To top it off, I would be forever remembered as the Earth King who failed his people, sitting in a prison cell while they were subject to pain.

I glanced out just in time to see Toph place her hands on the door. Gently rubbing the metal a few times, she squeezed her hands together and crumpled the door into debris. The loud crunch echoed through the hall as Toph casually tossed the crushed metal to the side, marching out and glancing around. Once it was confirmed that nobody heard us, she called back for me, insisting that we must leave. "Let's go!" she declared.

As Sokka grabbed my arm and rushed me out, I suddenly remembered that there was still one person we had to save. "I'm not leaving without Bosco!" I shouted, rushing through the halls in an effort to keep up with my younger counterparts.

All I could see were the dim torches lining the hall whipping past me, my legs churning nonstop as we checked each cell for Bosco. A large animal like Bosco was unlikely to be taken into a small area, knowing how he hated to be in tight, confined spaces. It wouldn't put it past me that he was back at the throne room, subject to all sorts of crazy Fire Nation torture tricks. As Toph broke down another metal door, I told them my suggestion. "Why don't we go back to the throne room and look there?"

Sokka and Toph glanced over, their expressions said it all. It was evident that neither one of them were keen on the idea, figuring that the chamber would be filled with Dai Li agents or Fire Nation fighters. But still, it wasn't right that Bosco must be left behind. "Please, he's my only friend left," I pleaded with them, "Save him."

Sokka and Toph nodded to each other. I could barely crack a smile, realizing that there was a small silver lining. With Long Feng's defection to the Fire Nation, I had no friends left. The only one I could truly bond with was Bosco, the only one to actually keep me company the entire time. I knew Bosco didn't understand how to run a kingdom or how to interact with ministers, but for the longest time he was the one that I confided in. So no matter what it took, I would only evacuate the palace if Bosco came with me.

We finally emerged back into the throne room, where I could see the smaller of the two fake Kyoshi Warriors stunting before Bosco. She put herself into a handstand, and was trying to entice my bear into doing the same. Without missing even a beat, Toph used the earth beneath and trapped the girl into an arched position. "Nice trick," Toph commented, stomping up another huge slab of rock. She aimed it for the other fake, who sat nonchalantly on the steps just before the throne.

But for some reason, the fake warrior didn't attack. Rather, she seemed more than willing to let us take Bosco and leave. I couldn't help but rush up to my bear, holding him in a tight embrace before hurrying out of there. Even as my kingdom was under siege, at least I knew my lifelong friend was about to escape with me to safety.

Sokka managed to locate Appa and flew us away from the palace. We dropped by a large hole in the ground, going deep into the earth and into the crystal catacombs that supposedly existed under my palace. There, it was a gruesome sight as Katara lifted Aang through to the opening. Katara seemed like she took a beating, with tears on her clothing and her hair undone. But it was the Avatar who had been damaged the most severely. A strong burnt smell shot its way from Aang’s unconscious and burnt body and into my nostrils. Sensing the impending danger, we decided to fly out.

As Appa lifted off the ground, Katara pulled out a small container, pouring out some water purer and sparkling brighter than anything I had seen in my life. Using her water bending to keep it spinning on her hand, she lifted Aang over and examined his back wound. It was the worst of the injuries inflicted onto him, as a large, dark hole-like mark was literally branded onto his spine. Amidst the silence, Katara pressed the fluid onto the grotesque mark on Aang's back. It filled up the entire burned-off section of his shirt, creating a blue light that radiated into the now darkened sky. My body twitched in total anxiety as I wondered if the world would end should Katara's healing not come through.

After an intense minute or so, a low-pitched groan sounded from Aang's mouth. I could see Katara's face relax as she pulled Aang into a hug. Aang's hands tried to move to Katara, returning the embrace, but I could tell he was too tired to do that. It wasn't long before Aang flopped back down, his eyelids dropped completely shut. I could tell that for the short time Aang was conscious, it lifted the entire team's spirits, but I predicted that it would be an intense coming few days for the rest of us.

As we flew further away from the palace, I got a last look at Ba Sing Se. While I escaped the attacks, I couldn't help but wonder what would happen to these citizens when the Fire Nation marched in. All households, regardless of wealth or social status or even number of individuals in the family, the inevitable would happen to them all. They were about to become victims of the Fire Nation's harsh ways. I couldn't imagine how anyone could withstand this type of treatment, and how many might actually live to tell the tale.

But the main thought in my mind was how I was directly responsible for this, and how much of this was my fault. Because of my own ignorance and incompetence, I allowed the Dai Li conspiracy to happen, leaving myself vulnerable so that they could turn against me, and in turn betray the entire Earth Kingdom. Somehow, I had to make this up to the people, and if I ever got the throne back, I promised that things would change for everyone. As we left the capital city for good, I could only utter one line. "The Earth Kingdom has fallen," I murmured, dipping my head in shame.

________________________________________

"Well, that was a waste of time," Sokka commented as we returned to the camp. After leaving Ba Sing Se, Sokka managed to steer us to Chameleon Bay, where a fleet of Water Tribe ships was located. Informing his father Hakoda, leader of this group, that the city was invaded and that I was among the evacuees, they decided to let Bosco and I stay with them for the time being. From their conversations, I could hear that they might still plan for an invasion of the Fire Nation, but that would have to wait, given the situation.

The Water Tribe warriors tried to make our lives as comfortable as possible, given that this base camp was no palace. But still, I was grateful that we managed to leave with our heads still on our shoulders. Since there wasn't much for me to do, I took out a small notebook and jotted down all the information regarding Bosco's natural life habits. Bosco was a bear from the east coastal forests of the Earth Kingdom, and was given to me as a pet by zoologists from Ba Sing Se University, who periodically briefed me on things that an animal like him would do to ensure its survival. Given that we were pretty much in the wild, maybe it wasn't a bad idea to train Bosco on these natural techniques.

"Actually, I think I learned something today," I responded. We had been going over basics early in the morning when Sokka overheard us. Insisting that he knew how to live in the wild, he chose to take over as Bosco's instructor and showed my bear what he had to do. He went over how to fetch food, fishing, finding shelter, and basic defence, none of which Bosco did the orthodox way. Even as I explained to Sokka that Bosco had never left the palace from the time he was captured, meaning that it would take time for Bosco to learn to live in the wild, Sokka was of the belief that my bear was doomed.

But those exercises Sokka subjected Bosco through made me realize one thing. As dusk fell onto the bay, I finally decided on my future, and how I could help the world. "There are so many things that I don't know about the real world," I told Sokka as we returned to camp, "How could I hope to ever be a good king if all my knowledge is so limited? Just like Bosco, who doesn't know how to be a good bear," I stated, tilting my head to the brown furry animal beside me. Bosco's training showed that, because he never bothered to leave the palace, he had no ability to survive elsewhere.

But that was also a perfect mirror for me, as I never left the palace either, meaning my abilities were limited. While it was alright for Bosco, it was never alright for me. A king must lead his people wisely, and in turn respond to the people's every need. With this, I decided to make a change in my life. I turned to face Sokka, who had a perplexed expression on his face. "Sokka, I've decided. I will experience the world in the shoes of a humble man," I declared, my tone loaded with seriousness and determination.

Sokka's face froze. I didn't know if it was because of shock or concern, but I could tell that he wasn't expecting my decision. "For too long, I have been blind to the needs of the people. I've relied on the opinions of a select few, and that ended with a situation where they misused power for personal gain," I described. It was still painful to talk about or come to grips with, as it meant throwing my failures into the open. But if this was the way to rectify my past mistakes, then there would be nothing stopping me from proceeding this way. "If I want to better the world and take my kingdom back from the Fire Nation, then I must better myself first. That's why I'm living as a commoner for the time being, letting me see the world from the people's perspective."

Sokka smiled while curling his eyebrows at the same time, probably a mix of happiness and worry as he mulled over my words. "It won't be easy, as we're still in a state of war right now," he pointed out, "If you're staying in this region, then you could very well be under Fire Nation threat. Also, you risk exposing your identity to others, who may choose to report you to the Fire Nation just to remove a potential risk to their lives. Or in the worst case scenario, you could downright get killed," he warned me.

But none of these mattered to me, as there was a bigger factor at hand here. "Is my one life more important than the hundreds, maybe even thousands, of lives that may be at stake should the Fire Nation continue its ways?" I retorted, piercing through Sokka with my every syllable, "I'm going to do my best to intermingle with the commoners, so there's no way my identity will be exposed. Besides, I have to know what they're going through so when I do take back my throne, hopefully after the war is over, I can use this new knowledge to help the people. I failed them before, and I don't want to do it again."

Sokka sighed, realizing that nothing he could say would change my mind. I was set on doing this, and that I would be leaving the group soon. "Alright then," he replied, conceding his point to me, "In that case, we'll get you some less formal clothes and make you blend in with the people more. You're pretty much on your own."

As Sokka searched through the wardrobe, he told me how he anticipated the world would be like in the coming few months. "Once we settle this war with the Day of Black Sun invasion, I really hope we see you again," he wished, "I hope, with your new knowledge, you can lead your kingdom again. This war has divided the world, pitting people against people, and created mistrust. If you can help rebuild and reintegrate the Earth Kingdom with the rest of the world, then it's my honour to help your journey."

I nodded, waiting patiently for him to fetch new clothes for me. Whatever that I was about to put myself through, I realized that it wasn't just for my own good. The entire Earth Kingdom, and even the world, depended on how I applied my experiences to life. To succeed on changing the kingdom, I must first change myself. I would gather new information while roaming around various towns and villages in the Earth Kingdom. I would go through whatever the people went through. Their needs would become my needs, their lives becoming my life. Building an understanding with the commoners would be crucial for my new mandate, and I was intent to make it happen.

________________________________________

"It is with the greatest honour that we welcome you back, your majesty," a lead guard told me. I heard the crowd below erupt into cheers as I stepped down the stairs of my palace. It had been months since I last lived here, after the Fire Nation invasion that forced me to flee with the Avatar's group. As I told Sokka, Bosco and I did spend some time travelling the world, seeing things from the commoner perspective. But now, knowing that the war was over and the Earth Kingdom was liberated, I realized it was time for me to return.

I nodded to the guards lined up in rows on either side of the stairway, but my eyes were at the crowd below. Unlike previous coronations, this time I invited all the people of Ba Sing Se, regardless of their background, to come witness this. During my travels, I witnessed the different living conditions of the Earth Kingdom, as towns so close to the capital could have needs so unlike those from within. I spoke to as many of the people in these areas as possible, trying to gauge their thoughts and understanding issues affecting their daily lives. Knowing that should I ever return to the throne, I must have these things in mind, for I would never let ignorance and blindness dominate my reign.

"My citizens, today the Earth Kingdom embarks on its journey of healing. But not only are we healing with the world, we are healing within," I announced, my pose taller and straighter than ever before. My journeys brought forth many changes to my life, and I hoped to share the lessons of my hardships with the citizens. I understood how hard life was with the war still going on, so now that the war was over, I intended to reform our own government system to make it more responsive to the people's needs.

"Let us rebuild our nation together, and let us no longer be ruled with fear. Either fear of a foreign invader, or an internal threat," I declared, referring to the Dai Li. My first act in my return was to reform the Dai Li, ordering the destruction of their base and stripping the agents of their powers. Long Feng, currently in prison after the Fire Nation princess supposedly double-crossed him, would be put on trial for treason as soon as possible. This was to be my first act of reconciliation with the people, as a way to beg for their forgiveness after many years of neglecting their needs. If Zuko, the new Fire Lord, could promise a world of "love, peace, and hope" for his nation, then this was the least I could offer for mine. As the people cheered, only one thought crossed my mind.

My name is Earth King Kuei. That was my story. Those were my rites of passage.


	7. Jet

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Each character grows up with a set of experiences unique to themselves. Watch each person describe what went through their minds and how they changed as they reacted to the world. These are their stories, these are their rites of passage.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: Michael DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko own Avatar.

A group of people sat around a large table in this platform among the trees. We had been living here for many years now, and I considered this central meeting area to be a piece of art. As everyone gobbled up the food before them, I decided to stand up and make an announcement. "Today, we struck another blow to the Fire Nation swine," I told my team, updating them on the results of today's mission.

A series of voices cheered in unison. I turned my eyes left and right, looking at this group that stayed loyal to me all this time. The ones with me the longest were in their teenage years, having worked with me since I started getting involved with raiding Fire Nation camps in the region. Others, mainly children, joined me later on, and together we made up the fearsome Freedom Fighters, here to rid the region of Fire Nation invaders. "Now the Fire Nation thinks they don't have to worry about a couple of kids hiding in the trees," I continued, tilting my head mockingly, "Maybe they're right…"

Immediately, I was showered by loud boos. The crowd, many of whom left their villages when the Fire Nation invaded them, roared in disapproval of our sworn enemies taking us this lightly. After all, with all the damage we had done to them throughout the years, why should they underestimate us? Playing to that line, I concluded emphatically, "Or maybe, they're dead wrong!" I declared, my face tightening in seriousness.

Upon hearing that, the crowd erupted in applause, the loudest yet of tonight. I climbed off the table and took my seat, right between two Water Tribe siblings that I ran into on my Fire Nation raid earlier this morning. The sister, Katara, was a water bender, and actually helped our raid with her skills. "Hey Jet, nice speech," she complimented.

"Thanks. By the way, I was really impressed with you and Aang," I replied, signalling to the bald boy at Katara's left. Aang, as my group found out, was the long-lost Avatar, and had recently begun training on his second element, water. Even though we only met earlier in the day, something told me that Katara really admired me. Every time she talked, she spoke positively of my acts, and her comments were usually accompanied with a smile and a shy glance to the ground. Knowing she was that talented and that dedicated to my cause, it could come in handy should I ever want to recruit her.

Keeping my grin on, I made my move. I pointed out that Katara and Aang, with their skills, could help us in our struggle. But before they could answer, Katara's brother Sokka, seated at my right, interrupted. "Unfortunately, we have to leave tonight," his voice sliced into our talk, his tone filled with bitterness. I knew it was probably because he didn't fare well at the battle, having knocked out zero fire benders.

Despite his lack of bending and overall clumsiness, there was a use for Sokka in my group as well. He had a quick mind, having been able to come up with new plans that were more useful than what we used to have. Besides, with him being that suspicious of our group, especially regarding my so-called advances on his sister, it was best to appease to him for now. "Sokka, you're kidding me," I called to the figure strolling away from us, filling my tone with as much sincerity as possible, "I needed you on an important mission tomorrow." There was no way someone as bull-headed as him would turn it down.

I could see Sokka pause, his body barely into the shadows as the evening sun dipped even lower on the horizon. When Sokka slowly tilted his body around, I could only grin wider. The slanting light caught just enough of his face to reveal his eyes narrowing into darts. "What mission?" he demanded, shooting them right at me.

I could only smirk as I watched Sokka lumber his way back at me. Maybe it was only right that a hot-headed individual like him would react this way, but for now, I had Sokka right where I wanted him. I could test out his true skills while keep a good eye on him. There was no way I would let this wannabe leader ruin my plans.

________________________________________

"Sokka, you told them what happened and you didn't mention the guy was Fire Nation?" I responded nonchalantly, sitting on my bed and countering Sokka's words. As promised, we took Sokka on our mission to raid Fire Nation residents of their resources. At first, Sokka proved to be useful, imbedding his bladed club into a tree trunk and using it to seek out sounds in the forest. We managed to ambush a lone man, snatching his bag and giving him a good scare. To me, it was all part of the game to beat the enemy.

But apparently, that touched a nerve with Sokka, who accused me of attacking an elderly civilian. That ended with Katara and Aang interrogating me like a suspect, all the while hearing Sokka spit his every accusation in their faces. "Even if he was Fire Nation, he was a harmless civilian," Sokka insisted, refusing to budge from his morals.

It was here that I had to show the group once and for all. "He was an assassin, Sokka," I told everyone, revealing a knife from my bed. I slammed it into a nearby stump, the blade swinging slightly but ominously. "There's a compartment for poison in his knife. He was sent to eliminate me. You helped save my life, Sokka," I declared, unscrewing the back while putting on as sincere a look as I could muster to Katara. Knowing that she had good rapport with me, I truly hoped she could be swayed by this.

What followed was a sequence where siblings became polar opposites. While Katara was compassionate, accepting my explanation without question, Sokka became more enraged, claiming there was no knife. From my position, I could see Katara's face was relaxed and her expression relieved, while Sokka's face was tense and with a huge scowl. Despite having the same parents, they were different as night and day right now. Seeing the split, I had to take action to further cement Katara's support. "You didn't see the knife because he was concealing it," I added, staring back at Sokka's grimace.

That was the last straw for the Water Tribe warrior, who stormed out of my hut in a huff. As he ranted how he wouldn't sacrifice his morals even when facing the Fire Nation, I tried convincing Katara and Aang to stay. "Tell me you guys aren't leaving yet. I really want your help," I pleaded, standing up and reaching to them, "The Fire Nation is planning on burning down our forest. If you use water bending to fill up the reservoir we could fight the fires. But if you leave now, they'll destroy the whole valley."

I could see Katara and Aang look at each other, their eyes meeting with the same look of concern. After an agonizing few seconds, they nodded their heads. "We'll try and convince Sokka to stay too," Katara suggested. They waved at me, leaving me alone in my hut as they returned to theirs, mumbling about Sokka being stubborn the whole time.

As quietness descended upon the forest on this relatively cool evening, I couldn't help but admire the work I did today. Not only did I manage to send a resident of the Fire Nation town a message, I also pulled Katara and Aang closer to me. To be honest, Sokka was right, as there really was no knife. The blade was from the initial raid of the military camp where I first met the threesome. But knowing Sokka's attitude, I had to resort to this to make everyone understand. Why didn't Sokka just see things my way?

I flopped onto my bed, my eyes boring a hole on my sticks and leaves roof. Mulling over today's events, I didn't understand why Sokka had to defend Fire Nation folks, referring to his morals and principles all the time. To me, all Fire Nation people were the same heartless monsters. They burned down my town, killed my parents, and destroyed countless lives. The only punishment they should get tomorrow was death, and if Aang and Katara would stay to help me, they would ensure this victory succeeded.

And the more I thought about Sokka, the more frustrated I became. Gnawing hard on the usual piece of wheat in my mouth, I couldn't understand how two siblings who grew up and experienced the death of their own mother reacted so differently. Katara was completely set on helping me, not even bothering to ask what would happen. Sokka, on the other hand, claimed it was against his principles, and that his "instincts" told him it didn't make sense. Even as I told him to never forget the Fire Nation killed his mother, he still refused to fight the old man we saw, preferring to show mercy and letting him go. If he were a member of the Freedom Fighters, I would have banished him long ago.

Soon, complete darkness smothered our hideout, making this the perfect time to get moving. Years of living in the forest had made me used to operating in the middle of the night on only a few hours of sleep, and this mission was no different. As quietly as possible, I stepped into the tents of those serving me the longest: Longshot the archer, Smellerbee the blades expert, Pipsqueak the strongman, and The Duke, the youngest and most nimble of us. "Let's get our stuff," I told them as we descended from the trees.

We went into the deepest part of the woods, to an area located behind the hideout. This was where we stored all the goods that we stole from the Fire Nation. Here, we had the most important material required for our mission: blasting jelly. Again, thanks to the last raid where we met the Avatar's group, we had enough to destroy an entire dam. "It's crucial that we bring all this," I instructed the group as they began untying the barrels. I signalled to Pipsqueak as he rolled a large cart over, telling the team to place the barrels onto the cart to be transported to the reservoir. "Once we get this to the dam, we'll blow the thing apart and drown the Fire Nation troops in the region. There's no way any of them will survive after this one!" I declared, clenching my fist in determination.

________________________________________

"Jet, why?" I could hear Katara's voice ask me. Her tone was still laced with her usual gentleness, one that I would never be tired of hearing, but I also sensed urgency and hurt in her voice. Earlier, I sent Katara and Aang to a series of geysers upstream of the dam and asked them to use water bending to fill the reservoir. I honestly didn't expect her to be here watching us set up the blasting jelly on the dam, as I told them to meet me at the camp. But now, knowing Aang was going to stop us, I had to take action.

With my back still toward her, I stated my premises for this attack. "Think about what the Fire Nation did to your mother. We can't let them do that to anyone else ever again," I reminded her, "I want you to understand me, Katara. I thought your brother would understand." Sokka, as expected, followed my group out to the dam, and spied on us throughout the night. At the crack of dawn, he was discovered by Pipsqueak and Smellerbee, who promptly marched him back to camp as a prisoner. With him out of our way, there wasn't a single obstacle stopping us from flooding the area.

I glanced at Katara, who was visibly shaken, with her eyes screwed shut and tears streaming out from them. I reached out to her, gently brushing her face with my hand. I might have only wanted her help in my Freedom Fighters in the beginning, but for the last few days she stayed with us, I truly grew an attachment to her. Our common past united us on one goal, and I hoped that I could convince her to stay with us. "Katara," I called her name, trying to sooth her increasingly unstable emotions.

But the volcano soon erupted as Katara reached for her sash of water. I soon felt myself lifted into the air, being sent into the distance as Katara shot the water at me. I landed hard on my back, but lifted my head just in time to see Aang reach for his staff, which also doubled as his glider. Realizing that the Avatar would ruin my plans, I pulled out one of my hook swords and lifted the staff away. To ensure there would be no more interruptions, I swung my swords at Aang, beating him into the trees. "You'll have to fight me if you want your glider back," I declared angrily as I jumped into the woods.

The trees, leaves and branches were nothing but a blur as I ventured deeper into the forest. Using my hooked swords as leverage, I leaped and bounded on each branch. I could see the Avatar on an adjacent tree, and decided to swoop in. Gathering momentum with one sword, I propelled myself to Aang, swinging the other sword furiously.

Although he didn't retaliate, I could see Aang trying to hold his own. Air blast after air blast shot at me, tearing at my face and whipping my hair into my eyes. But knowing our greatest victory was at hand, there was no way I would let anyone, the Avatar included, interfere. Rebalancing myself, I whipped the swords at him again, beating him back several times. I saw that Aang had his eyes on the long and thin object sticking out from my back the entire time, and I wasn't about to let him have an easy way at it. Guessing that he felt the battle was too much, I saw Aang leap into another tree, trying to get back to the dam on foot.

"Oh no, you don't," I muttered under my breath, hooking the nearby branches and pushing myself to Aang. Amidst the leaves and branching whipping at my face, I saw Aang scaling down the trunk and nearly reaching the ground. Lunging forward, I hooked onto his foot and pulled hard. Aang yelped in surprise as he slipped off, plunging straight to the ground in a freefall. I threw myself into the fray, going right after him and swinging my swords. Luckily for us both, a large branch underneath broke our plummet. We managed to catch our balances, before staring down each other in determination.

I made my advancement once again, this time swinging both swords in the latest and most ferocious attempt in beating back Aang. I really had Aang on the defensive as he bobbed and weaved around the blades, even resorting to clutching the tree branch from underneath to scoot away. Silently, I waited for Aang to turn back up, timing it just perfectly for me to charge in. There was no way he could leave unharmed.

But that soon proved to be a costly mistake, as Aang caught me in the act. Using his most unique attack yet, he created a current of air that pushed me back. It wasn't enough to knock me off the trees, but it tore at everything around me. Clothing, weapons, even the staff on my back, they all began to loosen. I struggled for balance, feeling a searing pain in my legs. Scratching sounds echoed from the bark below my feet as I began to lose control. Finally giving way, I tumbled from the trees. All I could do flail around, hoping to grab onto anything sturdy.

My entire spine was yanked mercilessly as my hooked swords bit into another tree branch, halting my downward progress. I twisted my head around to see the Avatar floating to the ground, following his fallen staff. Undaunted by the soreness throughout my body, I released myself from the branch and followed Aang. I ambushed him just in time, thanks to his slower rate of descent due to his use of air bending. Aiming for his back, I slammed into his spine, knocking him into another branch. The Avatar groaned as his stomach absorbed the hit, his body crumpling to the ground like leaves in autumn.

I dropped in right behind him, my eyes burning with anger and hatred. The more I fought Aang, the more I realized that he had no sense of justice in him. While he spoke like some world saviour, he wouldn't even face me directly in a fight. What honour was there in that? How could he defeat the Fire Nation if he couldn't even beat me? Sensing that the Avatar was still groggy, I realized it was best to knock him out and return to my original task. Tapping my swords casually, I moved in for the final blow.

Before I could advance, three blasts of cold water slammed into me. Water coated my face and eyes, making it extremely difficult to see. Then, before long, I could feel my entire body paralyzed, being encased in a cold layer that bit into every exposed skin area. As I tried to wiggle free, I could finally see the person who froze me in approach. "Why, Jet?" Katara asked, her voice almost pleading with me, "I can't believe I trusted you! You lied to me! You're sick, and I trusted you!" she ranted, tears spilling from her eyes.

With every ounce of energy, I blocked out the chills around my body and the ranting in my ears. Focusing on the important task, I edged my head towards the opening of the trees and whistled. It had been a staple of the Freedom Fighters' communication techniques for years, mimicking the sounds of animals in the forest and not giving away our actual locations. After I finished my call, I turned back to Katara and Aang, who now had his staff back in his possession. "You're too late," I smirked.

The final countdown seemed to be in slow motion as a fire arrow from Longshot sizzled through the air. It imbedded into the blasting jelly barrels at the bottom of the dam and lit the area bright orange. The roaring explosion created tremors through the forest, shaking us to the bones and making our environment sway. The water rushed through the dry riverbed and hurtled straight at not just the Fire Nation base camp, but to the nearby village. "This was a victory, Katara," I continued as they regained balance, turning around and glared daggers into me, "The Fire Nation is gone and this valley will be safe."

"It will be safe, without you!" I glanced up in shock as Appa, the Avatar's Sky Bison hovered near the edge. On the back of the large animal was Sokka, staring me down with uncompromising eyes. "I warned the villagers of your plan, just in time."

As Katara and Aang stared up in delight, Sokka continued his story, telling us that he was dismissed by the Fire Nation troops who thought he was a spy. But there was one man who believed him and insisted that the villagers heard Sokka out. "It was the same old man you attacked," Sokka spat, his tone filled with disgust, "He urged them to trust me, and we got everyone out in time." As he finished his description, Sokka tilted Appa around, allowing Aang and Katara to hop onto its back.

"Sokka, you fool! We could have freed this valley! You traitor!" I shouted. Had it not been for the ice around my body, I would have killed Sokka on the spot.

"No, Jet. You became the traitor when you stopped protecting innocent people," Sokka retorted, his tone easing down. It was there that I realized my hopes to keep Aang and Katara on my side were all but dashed, as the two were on their way out of here.

My eyes trailed to Katara, who was about to hop on the bison. Her shoulders still shuddered as she climbed on, but I could tell she was much more relieved. I begged her one last time, requesting that she stayed with me. But she replied with only one line, the two words etching forever into my brain. "Goodbye, Jet," she declared. After she took a seat on the bison, Sokka steered Appa away from the woods and sailed into the skies.

I remained stuck at that tree, replaying the words again and again. Was I truly a traitor when I let loose that water on the village? They were Fire Nation villagers, so what was wrong with driving them out? Realizing the damage I might have done to the reputation of the Freedom Fighters, with the Avatar now against me, I came to a difficult decision. I was going to disband the group and start fresh. Once the team rejoined at the base, I would make this announcement. Anyone who still wanted to stay with me could do so, but those who wanted a new life were free to go.

________________________________________

The train station bustled with people as we waited for our ride into the city of Ba Sing Se. It was months ago that I officially disbanded the Freedom Fighters, letting each member go their own way and find a new life for themselves. I decided to start over in the Earth Kingdom's capital and largest city, and made the trek to the Serpent's Pass ferry terminal for a boat to the city. The pier was filled with refugees hoping to escape the Fire Nation, heading for a safer and probably more prosperous life in the walled city.

"Hey Jet!" I heard Smellerbee call my name. The chatter from various directions, thanks to the people surrounding us on this train station, nearly drowned out her softer voice. Smellerbee and Longshot were the only members of my original group left with me, staying loyal to the end. I didn't see anybody leaving as traitors, as I made it clear that what they chose to do with their lives would be their decision. Looking around, I could see those from troubled backgrounds, broken families, and general misery from the refugees. To me, it might not be a bad idea to restart the Freedom Fighters in the city, where I could help these poor souls out in relative safety away from the Fire Nation.

And that was when my eyes turned back at the two figures sitting on a nearby bench. The old man, Mushi, was taking his nephew, Lee, to Ba Sing Se for a new start. From the scar on Lee's face, I could tell that he was an outcast like me. So, I made it clear to my group that we were to stick with him, as outcasts ought to support each other. "I think Lee would make a good Freedom Fighter," I commented, rolling the piece of wheat in my mouth, "He's just trying to find his way in the world."

Smellerbee, however, wasn't too impressed with the idea of reviving our old team. "You don't know anything about him, Jet," she pointed out, the eyebrows above her round eyes curling in uncertainty, "Besides, I thought we're going straight now."

"We are, and the new Freedom Fighters could use a guy like Lee," I insisted, nodding at the scarred teenager, "What do you think, Longshot?" I asked our archer.

Longshot merely nodded, but didn't say a thing. Longshot wasn't a person of many words, as I barely recalled him saying too much throughout my years of working with him. There could be situations where he went on for days without saying a single thing, leading some to believe he didn't exist at all. But despite all the times he kept to himself, I always valued his opinion, as he had been a loyal team member. Also, given his proficiency at shooting arrows, I could never underestimate him, and always admired his abilities. "I can respect that," I replied, acknowledging his silent support.

Just then, a tea vendor stopped by, advertising Ba Sing Se's specials. Mushi raised his hand and requested jasmine, which gave me the perfect opportunity to speak with Lee regarding my plans. Excusing myself from my two comrades, I took a seat next to Lee, who seemed somewhat grumpy with his eyes on the ground and a scowl on his face. I guessed he must have had a long journey, and was too tired to think about anything else. Trying to lighten the mood, I asked, "You guys got plans once you're inside the city?"

Before Lee could answer, his uncle spat out the tea and grunted in displeasure. "Coldest tea in Ba Sing Se is more like it," he grumbled, "What a disgrace!"

While Mushi continued his rant about the tea, I pulled Lee aside and offered him to join us. "We made a great team looting that captain's food," I advocated, pointing to the event on the ferry. Lee and I met on the boat when he was unhappy with the terrible food being served. Knowing the captain had many good meals, and most refugees also desired better, I convinced Lee to join Longshot, Smellerbee, and I in stealing the crew's rations and splitting it with others. It was there that I saw Lee's fine physical skills in play. In minutes, he scaled the crew's quarters, swiped the food with ease, and left undetected. It was then that I decided I would accept him into my crew. "Think of all the good we could do for all these refugees," I proposed, proudly gazing all over the station.

But Lee refused to budge, claiming that it wasn't a good idea to incorporate him on the team. "I say no," he concluded, returning to his uncle. I could only look on as he sat beside Mushi, who sipped happily from a steaming cup.

Wait, steaming cup? When had the ice-cold tea become hot? How did they get a fire lit without any equipment? "Fire benders, I can't believe it!" I murmured, feeling my entire body tense up. Immediately, I hurried back to Longshot and Smellerbee. I realized that to beat down our enemies, I must have all the help I could get.

By the time I got the two over to the platform, the train had already arrived. I kept explaining to Longshot and Smellerbee of my observation, trying to convince them to help me take action. But I soon found a tough audience as neither one of them was keen on starting a fight. Scanning the platform, I tried to locate Lee and Mushi, all the while Smellerbee insisted I was paranoid. "So the old guy has some hot tea, big deal!"

"He heated it himself," I ranted, taking long and forceful strides onto the train, "Those guys are fire benders!" I took one last glance, and saw the two enter the train in a compartment ahead of ours. Once this train stopped, I swore that I would not let them out of my sight. I wasn't going to let two disguised fire benders into this city and hurt more people, and I was intent to hunt them down and defeat them myself.

________________________________________

"Jet, we have to talk!" I snapped out of my trance-like observation state, the soft female voice doing just enough to slice into my concentration on this dark, cool night. I turned just in time to see Smellerbee and Longshot stand beside my hiding spot, which comprised of several old baskets and wood pieces. Even in relatively dim lighting, I saw the concerned expressions on their faces. "We've been talking," Smellerbee continued, "And I think you're becoming obsessed with this. It's not healthy!"

"Oh really, you both think this?" I asked, signalling at the tea shop before me. I had been following Lee and Mushi ever since we got off the train, as I couldn't just let two fire benders exist right under everyone's noses. I figured that it had been at least a day since I tailed them, and so far I couldn't catch either one fire bending. Agitated, I was determined to expose their secret, and show the entire world the fake refugees they were.

"We came here to make a fresh start," Smellerbee explained, "But you won't let this go, even though there's no real proof!" Earlier in the day, Smellerbee insisted that an old man with a hot cup of tea wasn't reason enough for us to bust into their new home to start a fight. So, instead of violence, I merely changed tactics to an observational one, getting enough evidence to report them to the police.

But from then on, I had extreme trouble getting Longshot and Smellerbee to help me. Neither one was convinced to spend their time doing this, as they were more intent on finding a new home and starting over. That left me by myself, making me resort to more extreme tactics to get the proof I needed. Just around the sunset, I sneaked up to them and stole their spark rocks. Without them, they couldn't make a fire for heating, meaning they must fire bend. I was intent on catching them in the act and reporting them to police, but unlucky for me, they managed to borrow new ones from the neighbours.

Yet the more elusive their fire bending became, the more determined I was to crack their shield. Even without concrete acts showing their malicious sides, the risk of having two fire benders in a city of refugees was too great. "Maybe you've forgotten why we need to start over," I retorted, "Maybe you've forgotten that the Fire Nation left us all homeless? How they wiped out all the people we loved? If you don't want to help me, then I'll get the evidence on my own." Then, before Smellerbee and Longshot could reach for me, I leaped out from the hiding spot and marched straight for the tea shop.

In one smooth motion, I shoved the door wide open, letting the cool night wind into the shop and at the customers. I could see Mushi move back to the counter with a teapot in hand, while Lee took some cups away from one table. Seething with anger, I charged straight at the two tea servers. "These two men are fire benders!" I shouted, signalling at Lee and Mushi while reaching for my hooked swords. The crowd, stunned at my accusation, sat so quietly that I could hear the night insects' chirping. Seizing my chance, I further explained, "I saw the old man heating his tea!"

The customers at the table Lee served consisted of two local law enforcers, and they didn't seem convinced of my claim. "He works in a tea shop, so why won't he be heating tea?" he challenged, "Drop your swords, boy. Nice and easy," he commanded, slowing getting out of his seat with his partner.

I ignored the officers, knowing that they were probably too well duped. I swung my swords around and approached uncle and nephew. "You'll have to defend yourself, and then everyone will know," I sneered, "Go ahead and show them what you can do."

A bigger bombshell was dropped when Lee placed his serving tray on a nearby table and grabbed the dual swords of the officer. "I'll give you a show," he responded. In one smooth motion, he yanked another table from its position and kicked it at me.

I barely reacted in time as the flying piece of wood came at me like the platypus bear checking refugees' luggage at the ferries. As the table was just about to slam into my knees, I rammed my swords down on the tabletop and somersaulted myself over it. I landed right in front of Lee, waving my swords and beating him back. The scarred teenager backpedalled and hopped onto a third table, escaping my blows just in time.

But it would take more than fancy footwork to stop me as I proceeded to hacking the table apart. I swung one sword down the middle of the table, slicing into two. Then, I whipped my right sword around, sending one half of the table against the wall. Lee only jumped off and landed on the other half, in which I attacked with my left sword, cutting the table leg off cleanly. As the large piece of wood slammed into the ground, Lee leaped into the air and came down hard with both his swords at my feet. That caused me to be on retreat, rushing backwards and screeching to a halt just before the door.

Taking several deep breaths, I regained balance and rushed in. So far, Lee hadn't shown his full skill, most likely because he was keeping the customers' safety in mind. It was time I used that to my advantage as I made a swift turn and targeted the other tables. Hollers of fear echoed off the walls as I threw hot tea, noodles, and other dinner entrees at Lee, all of which he dodged or batted down with ease. I could also see that we reversed our positions, as Lee was now at the door while I was near the counter. Since taking him outside would mean more eyes could see his fire bending, I lunged forward for the hit.

Lee crashed through the door, but maintained his balance even after my series of blows. I slammed my hooks into him, bringing him to his knees as Lee blocked with his swords. "You must be getting tired using those swords," I taunted him, his grimaced face and gritted teeth squarely in my vision, "Why don't you fire bend at me?"

Somehow, Lee pushed his way back up, getting back on his feet and going on the attack. We parried and jousted for what seemed like an eternity, and I could tell that both of us were probably fatigued. But I couldn't possibly stop now, as I couldn't let this fire bender win. "Bet you could use a little help from your fire fists right now," I mocked him again, hoping to entice him into letting loose a flame or two.

But that proved to be my mistake as Lee slammed one of his swords onto my left hook, lodging it into the ground and inhibiting one of my weapons. "You're the one who needs help," he retorted. He pounced at me, right blade up high, before bringing it down in one smooth motion. I bent my back over as far as possible, barely avoiding the slicing blade. But when I got back up, I could tell the piece of wheat in my mouth was cut off.

Our battle continued with each side holding only one sword. There was nothing but clangs of metal echoing into the night as we circled each other, trying to gain the upper hand. It wasn't until a booming, authoritative voice cut in that we stopped our parrying. "Drop your weapons!" I could hear a man in a dark robe and hat call.

I stood back, taking a good look at Lee. His shoulders heaved up and down, his face scrunched in tightness after the fight. Given his fatigue, he would have no choice but to fire bend when the police apprehended him. "Arrest them," I told the new officers that just arrived, pointing at my opponent, "They're fire benders!"

For some reason, nobody moved a muscle. I could only stare in horror as Mushi pointed to me being confused. Their manager, the tea shop owner, claimed that I wrecked his shop and assaulted his employees, and the officers Lee served earlier agreed as well. My heart rate jumped to unbelievable levels as the two robed men grabbed me. Twisting my arms back, they forced my only sword to drop with a clang. "You don't understand, they're Fire Nation," I objected, trying to get free from them, "You have to believe me."

I felt myself get shoved onto a cart, my face hitting the ground hard. The door was shut behind me, the darkness around make making me wonder where I was taken to. By the time the cart stopped, they pulled me into another dark room and slammed me against a wall. "You have to believe me. They're fire benders, they won't stop until they win the war," I kept pleading my case, hoping at least one person would set me free.

But it was to no avail as they locked me in place. I could hear footsteps around me, but the only thing I could see was a single light swinging back and forth before my eyes. "Calm down, you're safe now," I heard a male voice told me in a relaxed tone, "There is no war in Ba Sing Se. There is no war within the walls. Here we are safe, here we are free," the voice continued. Before long, the monotonous chanting put me into a daze, my entire body loosening as I allowed myself to be consumed by the darkness.

________________________________________

"The Dai Li must have sent Jet to mislead us," Katara stated emphatically, her arms crossed and her face fuming. For some strange reason, I had this strange need to go to the Avatar's group, informing them of where Aang's missing Sky Bison was. But yet, somewhere in the deepest parts of my mind, I had no idea how I came across this lead. In fact, I wasn't even sure what I was doing, let alone how I knew that Aang was in town.

"I've been to nowhere. I don't know what you're talking about!" I insisted, glancing helplessly at Aang, who demanded to know where I was captured or something like that. It was already an awkward scene when I first approached Katara earlier in the day, only to have her freeze me against a wall and threatened to stab me with a custom-made icicle. Then, two people, a short girl with an almost buzz cut and a taller boy with a bow and arrow claiming to be people I used to know marched up to me in the middle of the street and demanded where I was. Even though I didn't recognize her, the oddest thing was, according to Sokka, he felt both the girl and I were telling the truth.

"We have to find a way to jog his real memories," Aang suggested. I looked at the Avatar in disbelief, as there was no way I would be led to think that I had amnesia. Even with Sokka's taunting of Katara, asking her to kiss me, I still didn't see what good this experiment would do. How could they claim I lost memory when I was perfectly aware of where I was and what I was doing? This was Ba Sing Se, and I was locating Aang.

The rushing thoughts were rudely interrupted when Sokka rushed in and shoved a piece of wheat into my mouth. I was nearly knocked backwards from my chair, my eyes widening at the semi-circle of people before me. "I don't think it's working," I responded, spitting it out in disgust. To be honest, it was getting kind of annoying, and I really didn't see the point in continuing this exercise.

At this time, Toph, a petite girl and the Avatar's earth bending teacher, told me to think of something from my past that triggered my emotions, such as a Fire Nation attack I was involved in. I must admit I was very impressed by this individual, as her cloudy eyes indicated that she was blind. But to still master earth bending and teach it to Aang, that was truly remarkable. I took a deep breath and thought back, getting through the impression that I had been living peacefully in the city and digging into my past. "Close your eyes," I heard Katara say with determination, "Picture it."

Within seconds, a sea of flames surrounded me, the heat so great that it nearly burned my skin. I could hear people screaming, villagers rushing past me and away from the Fire Nation troops attacking my home. The smell of ashes and soot clogged up my nose as I saw the leader of the Fire Nation invasion troop. He has only one streak of hair going down the middle of his head, with the end tied up into a ponytail. Then, as if in slow motion, the head tilted around to face me, the final victim still in the village.

"No!" I screamed, shooting up from my chair, "It's too painful." I could feel the beads of sweat rolling down my face, my diaphragm pulling hard on my lungs as gulps of air rushed through. It got so bad that Katara, who I heard learned abilities to heal with water, had to place her water-covered hands to my temples just to settle my mind.

As I felt the liquid ease the pain, I was transported to yet another place. I was on the edge of a lake, seeing the clear blue water beneath me. The sky was clear, giving way to a perfect view of the mountains before me. I saw a balding, middle-aged man stand in the middle of the lake, inviting me into the water. Before long, I was taken underneath the lake, through a set of passages and into a dark room. I was stuck against a wall, with a small light circling me and a younger man in dark robes chanting to me. "They took me to their headquarters underwater, like a lake," I declared, the events finally coming back.

Immediately, Sokka got up and told us the possible destination: Lake Laogai. We hurried out of our chamber and onto the streets, racing for the area where we believed Appa was held. Racing through Ba Sing Se, I could tell that my memory had been regained. No longer was I Jet, the Ba Sing Se native. I truly remembered my past, why I created the Freedom Fighters to ward off the Fire Nation, and Longshot and Smellerbee, the two members of the Freedom Fighters that journeyed with me. Now, I had one more target: the Dai Li, who kidnapped me and supposedly brainwashed me into this scheme.

________________________________________

"You have made yourselves enemies of the state," the balding man from my memory sequence announced in a low tone. We were in a large, cavernous underground chamber surrounded by rocks and dimly lit with small torches. Several Dai Li agents dropped down from the ceiling and encircled us, giving us no room to manoeuvre. "Take them into custody," the leader, identified as Long Feng, ordered his troops.

There was sheer pandemonium as Dai Li agents shot earthen fists at us. The first blows were deflected by Toph, but it became an all-out brawl when everyone went on the offensive. I tried protecting myself when two agents shot their earthen fists at me, raising my swords and knocking the blasts out from the air when they came close enough. In one smooth motion, I slid between the agents and hooked onto their ankles with my swords, pulling hard and toppling the two robed men to my either side. As they landed onto the rocky ground with a thud, I quickly got up and scanned for more enemies.

In the middle of the room, I could see a series of pillars created by bending. A tall one jutted up from the centre, carrying Toph above the battlefield. Two Dai Li agents from her either side scaled the walls and shot their own sets of pillars, going horizontally across the way. Toph managed to hold them both off, but a third agent from the ground shot a fist that pounded at her back, sending her tumbling to the ground. "No!" I called, lunging forward with my hooked swords. I managed to hook onto her shirt just before she slammed into the ground, preventing her from some very serious injuries.

The Dai Li agent that knocked Toph off the pillar followed us closely, shooting a series of rocks at us. Longshot, ever the expert archer, held him at bay with several arrows, giving me just enough time to pick up the pace. Holding my two swords before me, I swung them around like a windmill, batting down any rocks the Dai Li agent threw at us. With the barrage dying down, it gave us enough room to advance our group, and just enough time to see Long Feng hurry out of the room through a back door.

Aang, who used air to blow back several agents surrounding him, was aware of the escape as well. Calling to me, we hustled to the side closest to the exit and blasted the wall open with Aang's earth bending. We could see Long Feng's silhouette at the end of the hallway, turning a corner and disappearing out of sight. Our legs churned as we raced down the damp sewer-like ground, going under an arch and into yet another chamber. This one had running water, flowing in the direction away from us from two pipes above and on either side of our heads. Just then, the room was sealed shut.

We turned to the source of the tremors, and there was Long Feng glaring at us with an infuriated look. "Alright, Avatar, you've caused me enough problems. This is your last chance, if you want your bison back," he threatened, taking a bold step forward.

Aang hissed angrily. "You do have Appa. Tell me where he is!" he demanded, stomping defiantly up to Long Feng. It was evident that he wasn't about to back down, even when he knew how dangerous of a man Long Feng could be.

However, Long Feng was no pushover either, opting to bargain with the Avatar. He insisted that Aang departed the city at once, in return for getting back Appa and not having been branded as a criminal in Ba Sing Se. Hearing the Dai Li leader taunt Aang like a criminal, I became more incensed. For once in my life, I was convinced that there were people less honourable than the Fire Nation, and the perfect example was standing right before me. "You're in no position to bargain," I chimed in, waving my swords.

But Long Feng was not worried. Rather, in a calm and clear voice, he stated the following words, "Jet, the Earth King has invited you to Lake Laogai."

It was like my mind lost control of my body as I felt the urge to attack Aang. In a trance-like state, I murmured, "I am honoured to accept his invitation." With that, I held my swords in Aang's direction and swung at him furiously.

Aang dodged the first blow, but it only drove me to attacking him even more. I had no control over what I did, as somehow I saw Aang as an enemy. All I could do was chase him around the room, thrusting and jabbing my swords in his direction while he pleaded with me to stop. "Jet, it's me, Aang. You don't have to do this!" Even as Aang blew me back with an air blast, I still had a burning desire to attack the bald boy. As I marched forward again, ready to slice into Aang, the Avatar declared, "Look inside your heart. He can't make you do this. You're a Freedom Fighter!" He put extra emphasis on the last two words, as if they had extra meaning in my life.

But it was those two words that charged up my brain, as a sudden burst of energy shocked me back into reality. I recalled the time I formed the Freedom Fighters and how we raided Fire Nation camps in order to drive them out of our homes in the forest. The faces of Longshot, Smellerbee, Pipesqueak, and The Duke raced through my eyes. I also saw Aang and the two Water Tribe siblings, meeting them on a raid, inviting them to my camp, and trying to convince Katara and Aang to help me. Lastly, I recalled Katara's rejection of me, and Sokka lecturing me on how I had betrayed my cause by sending innocent people to die. That was when I realized why I had come to Ba Sing Se: to start a new life, only to be captured and brainwashed by the Dai Li.

Turning around, I saw the lowlife of an earth bender at the door, urging me on to attack the Avatar. It was scum like him that made it easy for the Fire Nation to bully us. Long Feng manipulated those around him, weakening them so he could control them easier. Seething with anger, I clutched my left sword and hurled it at him like a spear.

The next few seconds appeared to play out in slow motion, as the sword clanged against the stone walls behind Long Feng. The Dai Li head ducked his head and shot out a fist, sending a huge slab of rock at me. My eyes widened as I tried to pick up my feet, but it was too late. The rock slammed into my chest, sending me straight to the ground. I saw nothing but dust around me as a piercing pain shot through my body. I could feel my ribs were no longer in the correct places, and it became increasingly difficult to breathe.

As my ragged breathing decreased significantly, I could feel a group of people surround me. My vision blurred as a set of water-covered hands rubbed my chest, the soothing feeling giving me the last bit of comfort before the end. I could hear Smellerbee tell Aang and his group to leave us, and Longshot offered to take care of me. "There's no time, just go. We'll take care of him. He's our leader," the archer added. Just like how I had known him, the archer didn't say much, but he made every word count. As Katara looked on in worry, I assured her I would be fine, even eking out a smile. I could feel Aang's group shuffle past me to the next chamber, leaving me in my final moments.

Maybe it was poetic justice that I had to end it this way. I lived fast and risky, putting my life on the line and cheating death multiple times. I didn't regret forming the Freedom Fighters and convincing them to live this way with me. Rather, my only regret was that I didn't get to know Katara better. Somehow, I felt we really bonded during our times together, and I did admit that I had some admiration for her. Had I survived, maybe we could be a couple? Who knows, but that's not important right now. What's important was to give Aang's team enough time to save Appa, and hoped he could in turn save the world. With the Freedom Fighters completely dispersed, Aang was the only hope now.

And maybe it was most fitting that Smellerbee and Longshot would stick with me to the end. They were the longest serving Freedom Fighters, and they were the most loyal to me. I could hear Smellerbee sobbing, her tears probably rushing down her cheeks and splashing onto the ground. Rumbles were heard from the other side, prompting Longshot to hook an arrow and prepare to fire. Soon, I would give way, letting dozens of Dai Li agents into the chamber. Longshot and Smellerbee might stand a chance against them, but probably not for more than a few minutes. In my last breath, I formed one thought.

My name is Jet. That was my story. Those were my rites of passage.


	8. Suki

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Each character grows up with a set of experiences unique to themselves. Watch each person describe what went through their minds and how they changed as they reacted to the world. These are their stories, these are their rites of passage.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: Michael DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko own Avatar.

"Sorry ladies, didn't mean to interrupt your dance lesson," a male voice echoed from the doorway. I was in the lead position, meaning out of everyone, I got the best view of the smug mug sticking his face into our hut. We all paused from our exercises and looked at the teenage boy clad in blue, unimpressed with his tone and attitude. To him, we might look like a dance troupe, but what we did was more than entertainment.

But still, it was best to remain civil, given the status this character had in the world. "Sorry about yesterday, I didn't know you were friends with the Avatar," I told him in a sincere tone. When we were told that the Unagi, a large eel-like creature that lived on the bay surrounding our island, was going crazy again, our village elder Oyaji sent my group to investigate. What ended up happening was that we discovered the long-lost air bending Avatar, Aang, and two Southern Water Tribe siblings, the sister Katara and the brother Sokka. Given that our island was named after a past Avatar, Kyoshi, we decided to let them stay as guests, allowing them access to all our facilities.

"It's alright. I mean, normally I'd hold a grudge, but seeing that you guys are a bunch of girls, I'll make an exception," Sokka responded in a condescending tone. He was stretching out his arms and legs, eager for a workout with us. Apparently, from the reaction he showed yesterday, he wasn't too happy that my group, an all-female fighting team called the Kyoshi Warriors, bested him, and was probably demanding a rematch.

I glanced around my team, and saw most of the ladies had the same response I did. Giving his chauvinistic attitude, perhaps letting Sokka in on the fun would be a good way to show him up once more. At least, if we beat him, he probably wouldn't dare to say such arrogant things. Turning back at him, I tilted my head and answered coyly, "I should hope so. I mean, against a big strong man like you, we wouldn't stand a chance!"

"True," Sokka retorted, rolling his head on his neck. The shameless arrogance of this Southern Water Tribe warrior knew no bounds as he continued bragging. I stayed patient and let him talk away his defences, but I heard snickers under the breaths of my teammates. "After all, I'm the best warrior in my village," he boasted, crossing his arms.

"Best warrior, huh? In your whole village," I dipped my head in his direction, my hip leaning so far forward that my headpiece nearly looped down over my eyes. I could tell that the hook was baited, and the question was if Sokka would bite. "Maybe you'd be kind enough to give us a little demonstration?" I suggested, "Come on girls, wouldn't you like him to show us some moves?" I waved the rest of the warriors over.

The concerted giggles behind me only bloated Sokka's confidence even more. "If that's what you want, then I'd be happy to." I stood in the middle of our training room as Sokka approached me. He stuck out his chest and flaunted his arms around, almost like he was invincible to any weapon. "Now you stand over there, and try to block me," he instructed, keeping me in my position and waving his left hand in my face.

In one swift motion, Sokka twisted his body around and shot his right fist at me. I still had my two fans, which were crucial to the Kyoshi fighting style. Watching his fist, I responded by jabbing out my left. I nailed Sokka right in the shoulder, freezing his move and sent him reeling back. Watching him grimace and wince, I dropped my arm and smiled as casually as possible. "Good," Sokka stuttered, rubbing his shoulder in pain, "But of course, I was going easy on you," he assured me, his eyes flashing frantically.

Smirking, I taunted him some more, telling him I expected him to go easy. "So let's see if you can handle this!" Sokka shouted, advancing in with a wide leg kick. Like I had done it every day of my life, I merely ducked under the kick and whipped my right fan around. That collapsed the extra weight Sokka had on his remaining leg, sending him reeling across the room. Luckily, he managed to land on the mat, or else his back and rear end would have some serious bruising for the next few days.

I could see Sokka blink a few times in surprise, before he became consumed in frustration. "That does it!" he yelled, his voice cracking. In his most bull-headed move yet, he rushed at me, one fist held right before him. I must say that, with all the taunting we heaped on him, Sokka's finally lost his cool, and was resorting to random flails.

But randomness like this was the easier technique to defend against in the Kyoshi fighting style, as I merely used Sokka's strength against him. Grabbing onto his extended arm, I spun him around in circles, using his own momentum to drive out his energy. The only sounds that could be heard were Sokka's screams. I toyed with his position, whirling him around me and turning his body into nothing but a blur. Then, in one smooth motion, I halted my motion, yanking Sokka's arm right behind him. The ride was wild enough, although it was probably nothing compared to what the Unagi could do.

Then, in my final act of humiliation, I undid the white belt on Sokka's waist and brought it to his hand. Sokka was still only on one leg, a great position to pull off this trick. With some quick tying work, I bound his left wrist to his right ankle, leaving him in an awkward position. Letting go of him, I only watched giddily as Sokka bounced around the room, trying helplessly to return to a fighting posture. After a few more seconds of pathetic hopping, Sokka finally dropped to the ground.

I approached the fallen figure amidst the giggles of my team. I could heard Sokka hyperventilating, partially because of the exercise that left him in this state, but also due to the great indignation that he was bested twice by the same group of, you guessed it, girls. Placing my hands on my hips, I dipped my face lower again, asking Sokka with a smirk, "Anything else you want to teach us?" Hearing that, the girls burst out in laughter.

I decided to keep Sokka like that for a few more minutes, hearing him plead and beg us to spare him, just to torture him a bit. To me, there was no excuse or justification for being that mean-spirited towards the female gender, even if he claimed he was the chief warrior left in his village. If the great Avatar Kyoshi, a female and the longest-living Avatar, was so active in defending our land from Chin the Conqueror, an invading warlord that was just as cruel as the current Fire Nation, then there was nothing that girls couldn't do as well as guys. So, for Sokka to barge into our training hut and declared that he was going to teach us lessons on fighting, I was not going to let that pass.

Finally, my good side took over, and I undid the knot in pity for him. Sokka glanced at us, his eyes wavering and slightly watery. Dipping his head in shame, he hurried away from us. While I genuinely felt better about teaching him a lesson, I also felt somewhat sorry for him. He suffered a lot of embarrassment in that battle, and I was certain he would have doubts about challenging females again. Sighing, I could wish he would be more open-minded should he return, as I hoped to show him some of our skills.

________________________________________

"Hoping for another dance lesson?" I asked, unimpressed as Sokka made another appearance in our training grounds. We thought after being humiliated twice, he would finally learn his lesson and take his chauvinistic thoughts elsewhere. But it seemed like he wasn't about to let up, as he popped in on us in the middle of our routine again.

But there was something about Sokka this time, as he didn't seem as strong in his efforts to talk to us. His eyes shifted around, his hands fidgeted, and his back was slouched. As we continued observing him struggle for words, he did an unexpected thing: he got down on his knees and begged before us. "I would be honoured if you would teach me," he stated in humility, his eyes never leaving the ground.  
I pursed my lips, not sure what to think. After all the nastiness that he hurled our way, we weren't about to forget his sexist comments too easily. That being said, if Sokka was to show true remorse for his actions, perhaps it was worth a chance. Trying to test him out, I asked bluntly, "I teach you? Even if I'm a girl?"

"I'm sorry if I insulted you. I was wrong," Sokka replied, his tone barely above a murmur. It was evident that he was still coming to terms with women being capable and strong fighters, but at least it was a start. "I won't let you down," he assured us, doing a full kowtow as his forehead dipped to the mat. Whatever doubts the girls and I still had regarding his intentions, they were all erased with this powerful gesture.

Finally conquering my stubborn side, I relented on my position. "Alright, but you have to follow all of our traditions," I responded, "And I mean, all of them!"

Within minutes, my teammates brought out a traditional Kyoshi Warrior uniform for Sokka to wear. We had many extras in our wardrobe, and we found one that we felt was around Sokka's size. Sokka protested for quite a bit as we prepared to dress him up, ranting nonstop even when the final act of applying the face paint was done. "Do I really have to wear this? It feels a little girly," he complained, completely slouched over.

"It's a warrior's uniform, so you should be proud," I declared, quickly describing what each piece of the uniform stood for. Avatar Kyoshi first donned such clothing when she served the world, and despite centuries later, there were only a few modifications from the original. Emphasizing that honour and bravery were among the most important traits from our island's namesake, I reminded Sokka never to forget what that meant.

Before long, the girls had finished their training, and were about to head home for the day. With the training grounds empty, I decided to stay longer and teach Sokka the basics. Making him do repetition after repetition of the basic steps, including movements of the fans, I tried to install the fundamental skills of the Kyoshi fighting style into Sokka. Even in his first day, I could see him being very sincere in learning the skill, his every step and pivot filled with concentration to the most precise detail. "You're not going to master it in one day," I pointed out, "Even I'm not that good."

"I think I'm starting to get it," he assured me, waving his right fan while kicking out his left foot. With three spinning pivots, he gathered his momentum and shot the fan out of his hand. While the throw was strong, it was extremely out-of-control, as the fan sailed out of the room and slammed into a tree outside. The snow from the leaves shook loose and slumped to the ground, burying the fan in white fluff.

Alternating my eyes between the buried fan and a tired-looking Sokka, I decided to clarify. "It's not about strength. Our technique is about using the opponent's force against them. Think of the fan as an extension of your arm." I stood in a fighter stance, my right fan closed and pointed straight at Sokka's face. Sokka returned the gesture, his painted face in complete seriousness as he watched my movement. Continuing with my description, I told him, "Wait for an opening, and then…"

I tried to thrust forward, but Sokka caught my arm in time. In one smooth motion, he yanked me by the fan and shot me forward. I was in total shock as I lost hold of the fan, letting it bounce to the ground as Sokka turned his arm and shoved me back. I landed on my rear end, sitting on the ground and looking up helplessly. For some strange reason, I felt like Sokka in the morning, when I shamed him before my team. Now, the shoe was on the other foot as Sokka exclaimed, "I got you! Admit it, I got you!"

Getting back to my feet, I could feel my face flush with embarrassment. Earlier, it seemed so much fun trying to set Sokka in his place, but now the tables had turned. Still, I did admire the way he learned the trick so quickly. Maybe with more lessons, we could show him the real ways of our world, and hopefully changed his views permanently. "Okay, it was a lucky shot," I conceded, grabbing Sokka's outstretched fingers, "Let's see if you can do it again," I challenged, prepared to use more advanced techniques.

Returning to our fighter stances, we circled each other and prepared to spar. To be honest, while I was busy condemning Sokka's close-minded view on women, I had to say the Kyoshi Warriors didn't exactly have a record on open-mindedness that we could be proud of either. For the entire century that the world had been at war, all the warriors did was to hide from trouble and refuse to take part. Oyaji said the reason was our isolated location made it possible for life to still go on, and we could declare neutrality while still being part of the Earth Kingdom. But how long could we sustain that? Was it right for us to stay in the corner and watch the world be engulfed in flames? Mulling this over, it was an issue worth discussing with my team later on. But for now, my attention returned to Sokka as he advanced. I wanted to show him the true power of the Kyoshi fighting style.

________________________________________

"Come out, Avatar! You can't hide from me forever!" I heard a loud booming voice echo through the village as I rushed down the hill from the training facility. Sokka and I were so caught up in going over basic Kyoshi style techniques that we soon lost track of the time. Sokka really picked up his skills quickly in this first day, so much so that I had to say it would be great if he chose to stay and continue training, in hopes of becoming the first ever male Kyoshi Warrior.

But our fun was about to be interrupted as Oyaji, our village elder, requested my team to help the people. Fire benders reportedly landed on our shores, with a fleet of Komodo Rhinos standing at the edge of the town. It made my earlier prediction of needing to remove Kyoshi Island from splendid isolation and into the war came true. We might not be interested in trouble, but trouble was interested in us. There were three rhinos with two Fire Nation soldiers on each, and one with only one person on, presumably the team leader. As the rhinos slowly trudged forward, I signalled my team into position, hoping to ambush the invaders from the side.

There was complete silence as the setting sun cast its rays across the mountainous exterior of the island, creating long shadows across the land. It placed a perfect silhouette on the leader of the group, whose face was in complete darkness. From my angle, it was like he had horns from his head, the Fire Nation helmet resonated his ferocity. On our way here, Oyaji told me that he already requested the villagers returned to their homes and locked all doors, and it was up to the Kyoshi Warriors to protect them from harm.

Seizing the opportunity to strike, I signalled my teammates to surround the rhinos from the side. Being in the middle of the village meant we could come at them from all sides, and that was exactly what we did as warriors leapt onto the fire benders from each angle. The soldiers were caught off guard as they were disarmed, with some being kicked off the rhinos overall. With my team keeping the front three rhinos busy, I made a beeline for the group leader. With my fans spread and a determined look on my face, I raced to the lone rhino and rider in the distance, ready to repel him off the island.

Immediately, a barrage of fire rained down on me. Even with my armour and face paint, I was getting close to being burned. All around me, orange balls of flame battered the ground, the projectiles becoming brighter than the waning sun. At the last possible second, I leapt into the air, away from the flames and straight at the rider. I figured that once I could knock him to the ground, he would be at a disadvantage. Chances were that my speed and evasiveness would make it difficult for him to hit me with fire. Twisting my body, I had my feet whipped forward, ready to shove them straight into the rider's chest.

But it was me who miscalculated, as I did not expect the Komodo Rhino to be used as a weapon. The rider simply yanked the reins and spun the creature around. It was like everything slowed down as the tail of the large animal made its way towards me. The next thing I knew was that I had been sent into the air like a rag doll in a windstorm, the hard tail bones of the Komodo Rhino made full impact with me. I landed hard onto the ground, my body limp and in immense pain while creating a neat sand trail with my skidding. I could feel my teeth rattle, and had it not been for the armour, I was sure to have several broken bones by now. Wincing, I tried to get up, but to no avail.

I could only look in horror at the rider glaring down from the rhino, his fists clenched and ready to attack. My head still spinning in pain, I barely saw him reel an arm back, ready to send another wall of fire at me. But then, everything slowed down once more as a blurry figure jumped before me just before the large orange blast smacked into me. The mysterious saviour swung an arm around, batting away the flames with a fan. I looked more carefully and realized that the Kyoshi Warrior before me wasn't a female. Rather, it was Sokka, who bravely stared down and fiercely defended me from the fire bender.

My concentration was finally interrupted with one of my teammates jumping at the Fire Nation invasion team leader, knocking him off the rhino while we were all still stunned at what happened. Sokka, after making sure I was alright, immediately charged in to provide backup for my teammates. As I tried to crawl to safety, I could see a third Kyoshi Warrior joining Sokka and the one who originally knocked the rider off the rhino surround him. I couldn't make it out quite clearly, but I could feel flames shooting out in a circle. The fire bender swung around and knocked everyone back, their backs slamming into walls and pillars. I couldn't see Sokka, so I could only hope he got out alright.

But Sokka became the least of my concerns as the fire bender stepped inte the middle of the village again. "Nice try, Avatar," he shouted into the skies, "But these little girls can't save you!" In my weakened state, I felt so helpless. Everywhere around me, there was fire flickering. The Fire Nation invaders, despite being few in numbers, did a lot of damage to this place, and showed us just how strong of a fighting force they were. In my mind, there was a genuine fear that our homes would be destroyed.

Luckily, the Avatar finally stepped out, standing defiantly on the other side of the village. With his air bending skills, he managed to stall the assailants just in time. In the midst of the confusion, it was decided that the Kyoshi Warriors would do everything to hold off the attackers while the Avatar got off the island safely. "There's no time to say goodbye," I told Sokka, who managed to find my hiding spot. He had taken a huge hit by landing hard on his back, and even as he recovered he was still in some pain.

"What about 'I'm sorry'?" he responded, "I treated you like a girl when I should have treated you like a warrior." There was genuine regret in his tone as we urged him to catch up with Aang, who was in the process of getting Appa, his Sky Bison. Somehow, from this experience, I truly felt Sokka was ready to abandon his chauvinistic ways.

"I am a warrior, but I'm a girl, too," I replied. Leaning in, I gave Sokka a peck on the cheek. I saw the stunned expression on his face as I pulled back, with Sokka rubbing the side where my mouth met his face. Maybe that was my way of change, as I had lots to learn to incorporate myself in the real world. While it was great to work with an all-girl fighting team, meshing with the other sex, even other cultures, was more important.

The ensuing battle was quick, but at great cost to our village. The fire benders all but razed our land during their retreat. Guessing that chasing the Avatar was the highest priority for them, they weren't about to stay for long, but the cruelty they showed to us was unmatched when they chose to destroy whatever debris left on the island. Had it not been for the Avatar, who got the Unagi to spray water over our village, there would be nothing left. Sighing, I realized that this was the price to pay to get involved in the world. There was no way Kyoshi Island could progress without some sacrifices, but if it meant bringing forward long-term peace by fighting the Fire Nation, then it was worth it.

________________________________________

"I know you're just trying to help, but I can take care of myself," I insisted to Sokka as we sat under a rock arch. It was a beautiful spring night, with the breezes from the bay tickling our skin as we stared into the dark but cloudless sky. Because of Aang's team, the entire Kyoshi Warrior team was inspired to help others less fortunate than us across the Earth Kingdom, and we decided to leave the island to search for opportunities. One arose at the Full Moon Bay ferry terminal, where refugees were waiting to get onto the ships heading for Ba Sing Se, the only safe haven for the Earth Kingdom for now.

And that was when we ran into Aang's group, who happened to be escorting a couple to Ba Sing Se. The wife, Ying, was pregnant, and they wanted to get to the Earth Kingdom capital to raise their family in peace. Unfortunately, their passports were stolen from them, meaning they were not authorized to board the ferries. In a desperate move, Aang decided to guide them through the Serpent's Pass, which was a very dangerous area. Not only were there steep cliffs and Fire Nation patrol boats, there was also a large sea serpent, comparable to the Unagi that lived in the waters. We already dodged an attack by a patrol boat earlier, and it wasn't about to get any easier along the way.

"So why are you acting so overprotective?" I demanded to Sokka. To be honest, he had been like that since we first reunited at the terminal. At first, I could sense he had some doubt about letting me on this journey; even without him voicing it, I could feel it from his posture and tone. Next, he was completely in panic at the Fire Nation attack, so much so that he didn't even notice Toph, the newest member of their team, save us all from danger. Perhaps he was scared for Toph, since she was blind, so much so that he became worried for anyone, but I had to stop this obsessive behaviour before it worsened.

Sokka sighed, biting his lower lip as he tilted his head upward. There was a full moon tonight, and its brightness shone through the line of rocks we traveled on. "It's so hard to lose someone you care about," Sokka murmured, his eyes never leaving the bright circle above us, "Something happened at the North Pole, and I couldn't protect someone. I don't want anything like that to happen ever again." He turned away from me, refusing to even look my way. I figured that, whatever it was, it must have impacted him greatly.

Seizing the moment, perhaps it was time for me to tell him the truth about my personal feeling. "I lost someone I cared about. He didn't die, he just went away," I described, my eyes tilting back and forth between Sokka's ponytail and the ground. A part of me felt this probably wasn't right, as Sokka's subdued tone and slouched posture painted a scene of mourning, but maybe it was the perfect chance to cheer him back up and let him start anew. "I only had a few days to get to know him, but he was smart and brave and funny…" I listed off the traits, hoping he would notice.

Immediately, he shot up, demanding who this mysterious person was. Chuckling, I got to my feet as well. "It is you, stupid!" I declared joyfully. At this time, our eyes were on each other, not moving an inch away as our faces grew closer. I knew it was a moment we both longed for. I had this feeling for Sokka since we first met in Kyoshi Island. He sure changed a lot since I first met him, as not only did he gain respect for the other gender, he also developed into quite a warrior in his own right. Hopefully, by being sincere with him, I could get him to truly move on with life and fight another day.

But just before our lips met, he pulled back. I could see the moonlight illuminate one side of his face, but it was all I needed to see. Sokka's face completely drooped, his eyes close to tears as he stepped away from me. "I can't," he merely stated.

For the rest of the night, I was totally sleepless, wondering what I did wrong in that incident. Maybe I was overly ambitious in thinking he had already recovered, and was ready to let go of whatever past failure he experienced. Still, I realized that it was my fault, and I figured I must make up for this mistake. But for the moment, I decided to keep my distance from Sokka, trying to focus on the task at hand. Even as we crossed a section of the Serpent's Pass that required going underwater, I remained calm, letting Aang and Katara create a water bubble for us to breathe while I watched the family.

We were almost through completely when we were rudely interrupted by the pass's namesake. The aquamarine, scaly serpent reared its fearsome head over the water and hissed at us, its mouth armed with razor sharp teeth as it scanned our group. In an effort to buy time, Aang offered to distract it while Katara used water bending to let the others cross. Hurling his glider into the air, the bald boy leapt up and headed off.

My eyes alternated between the Serpent and Katara, who created an ice bridge from our land piece. Standing in the middle, she hurried us across to the other side. I only had Ying in mind as we gingerly stepped on the ice, hoping nobody would lose their balance. Luckily, Katara made it so thick that it wouldn't crack, but it wasn't enough to get a certain blind earth bender to cross. "Toph, come on!" Sokka called.

Toph was extremely hesitant, as her blindness did not allow her to navigate on anything other than solid rock and earth. Earlier in the morning, I had a casual chat with Toph, who told me that she used earth bending via her feet to see the area, so it was likely that ice prevented that from happening. With the Serpent nearby, Katara decided to take off and help Aang subdue it, leaving Sokka and I to guide Toph across the bridge.

As the short girl with misty eyes carefully side-stepped our way, we kept calling out directions to make things easier for her. Just as she was about halfway across, the serpent was pushed back by Aang and Katara, and unfortunately its tail snapped the ice into bits. Toph screamed as her body was thrown into the water. "Help, I can't swim!"

My instinct took over as I propelled myself into the water. The surrounding ice made it cooler than usual, the chill biting onto my exposed skin and numbing me. But I ignored the uncomfortable feeling as I propelled forward, taking long strokes as I reached out to Toph. I pulled her out of the water just before she went under, letting her take in a few breaths of air before pulling her back. Toph, completely relieved, leaned over and kissed my cheek, thinking I was Sokka. It led to a rather embarrassing situation where I had to reveal my identity, to which she replied, "You can let me drown now."

As we made our way to safety, I could see Aang and Katara create a huge vortex that trapped the Serpent. The monster would have difficulty swimming out of this hole as it became lodged in the currents. The Avatar and the water bender rejoined us on the thin land bridge, our nerves finally calming as we left the danger zone for good.

Just as we got back on land, Ying's stomach couldn't hold it any longer. Yelling that the baby was about to come out, we had to quickly improvise a scheme for delivering it. Katara, with her quick thinking, asked Aang and Sokka to fetch rags and water while Toph created a large earth tent around the family. I went into the tent with Katara as we watched Ying hyperventilate. Holding onto Ying, I heard Katara instruct her to breathe deeply. "You're doing great, Ying. Now get ready to push: one, two, three!"

The new bundle of life plopped out of Ying, its cries filling the air. Holding the infant, Katara told me to cut its umbilical cord and check its health while she took care of Ying. I followed her instructions, making sure the baby was generally well off. "It's a girl, by the way," I called out as I examined it carefully. It might be a regular birth, but it came at a time significant time. All of us went through a rebirth of sorts, especially Sokka and me. So maybe this experience was telling us that life could always restart, even at the most unexpected time. Returning the baby to Ying, I stepped out of the tent.

It would be another hour or so before we finally got going again. Aang wanted to get to the city to see if he could find Appa, who was supposedly kidnapped and taken into Ba Sing Se. As his glider shot towards the wall in the distance, I approached Sokka again. "I came along because I wanted to make sure you got through the Serpent's Pass safely. But now I need to get back to the other Kyoshi Warriors," I explained gently.

Sokka was in shock, as he didn't expect me to tag along to protect him. The whole time, he thought he had to protect everyone. Taking a deep breath, I clarified the last case for him. "Listen, I'm really sorry about last night. I just got carried away, and before I…"

I never had a chance to finish that sentence, as Sokka lunged forward and closed his lips onto mine. There was no need to describe what happened, as it was evident that Sokka regained his composure again. As we wrapped our arms around each other, I knew that it was a new beginning for us. Maybe, when the war was over, we could continue to move forward with this relationship. But for now, I was just enjoying the moment.

________________________________________

"We'll never make it onto the gondola. There are too many guards," I pointed out. It was several months since I last saw Sokka, having returned to the ferry terminal after escorting the pregnant woman’s family across. Unfortunately, things took a turn for the worse, as in a scouting mission around Ba Sing Se, my team was captured by the Fire Nation army. There was a fierce battle with the Fire Nation princess, Azula, and her two minions. Even though we outnumbered them, they managed to overwhelm us and took us prisoners. The girls were placed in a separate prison near the Fire Nation capital, but I was considered to be a dangerous prisoner. So, they took me to the high-security prison, the Boiling Rock.

"Let's say by some miracle that this all works and we make it onto the gondola. The warden will still just cut the lines, even if we have a captive." I continued opposing the escape plan Sokka envisioned. For some reason, Sokka sneaked into the prison in hopes of freeing his father. He did manage to reach Hakoda, and together they thought up of a crazy plan to cause a prison riot to distract the guards while kidnapping a prison staff member as hostage. Even without hearing all the specifics, I had serious doubts about it.

"Not if the warden is the captive," Sokka quickly retorted, placing a hand on my shoulder. Earlier, Sokka already tried a riot by having me fight with another prisoner. And believe it or not, said prisoner was Prince Zuko, heir to the Fire Nation throne. I had no idea how he did it, but Sokka convinced Zuko to join in on the activities. He told me that Zuko had a change of heart and decided to join our group. I still had reservations, as a former enemy was now in our camp. Moreover, given that Zuko tried to burn down my village, I didn't feel quite comfortable trusting him yet.

But whatever time I still had to think things over was smashed as several guards marched past my cell. Sensing that something unusual was about to happen, Sokka told me he had to leave, but would find me before the riot. I gave him a hug, wishing him the best of luck as he marched out. As the door slid shut, I was all to myself.

I took a seat at the small bench which also doubled as a bed. I had been here for several months now, and it really gave me some time to think. The war was definitely near its climax right now, as I heard a planned invasion of our forces into the capital. It supposedly failed thanks to Azula going undercover into Ba Sing Se as a Kyoshi Warrior and overhearing the plans. Now, it seemed like nothing was stopping the Fire Nation from world dominance, and our escape might not really matter.

But it also raised a whole new set of issues: let's say Sokka managed to get me out of here, and that Hakoda and Zuko, two experienced war planners, were available resources for us. What was the next step? Even if Aang was still alive, and had mastered his bending, there was no telling that he could reach the battlefield in time to stop the Fire Nation from advancing. Even here in prison, I heard ample news of Fire Nation military advancements, to the point where they had made contact with almost every corner of the world. With only a few isolated patches untouched, it almost felt like the end was near.

No sooner had my mind begun its battle between optimism and pessimism, the cell door slid open again. I recalled Sokka's instructions and slipped out to the central open area, the sunlight shooting into my eyes as I filed through the crowd of people. I could hear confused chatter of prisoners as they glanced at each other, wondering what was going on. Sensing that there was uncertainty, perhaps things might work out. I took a long look around, and finally located Sokka near a wall away from the tower. Hakoda was with him, and so was another prisoner, a tall man with a small goatee named Chit Sang. Knowing that they needed a riot, Chit Sang promptly grabbed another person and lifted him into the air, shouting for the crowd to cause some mayhem.

What surprised me the most was the people actually listened. As fists, feet, and fire balls were launched through the air, we tried to locate the warden, who was in the safety of the tower. While Zuko and Sokka griped over who should do what and why no one thought it through, I decided to take action into my own hands. Leaping into the air, I raced onto top of everyone's heads, heading straight for the tower where the warden was. "Men," I murmured to myself, "Why can't they be more decisive in crucial times?"

The entire process of kidnapping the warden took less than a minute, as I scaled the tower and made quick work of the guards surrounding him. With the warden bound and gagged, we made our way to the gondola in relative peace. We loaded up the cab and Zuko made sure they couldn't stop the machine by destroying the brakes. For a while, I could truly breathe easier. "We're on our way," I assured everyone.

"Wait, who's that?" Hakoda, who was at the end closer to the prison asked. We dashed to his end and saw two teenage females in Fire Nation costumes racing towards us. One was using a set of handcuffs on the line and propelled herself to us with fire bending from her feet, while the other leaped onto the top wire and charged at us.

As they came nearer, I could get a better look at their faces. It was Princess Azula and one of her friends who ambushed my team outside Ba Sing Se. Knowing that this was a chance to get some payback, I insisted on battling them head on, particularly the girl on the top wire, who disabled many of my fighters by blocking their chi. "This is a rematch I've been waiting for," I spat, climbing out of the cab and onto its roof.

Zuko and Sokka would soon follow, deciding that they would go after Azula. That left me with the acrobat Ty Lee, who jumped off the wire and stared me down. The hot steam mugging our bodies only made it more uncomfortable as the girl and I refused to move, knowing that the first blow could turn the battle.

The sounds of flames being shot behind me prompted my battle to begin as I advanced on Ty Lee with a series of jabs. Her amazing stealth and coordination let her block most with ease, causing me to fight defensively as well. Her chi-blocking was a factor in my mind, as I would be thrown into a disadvantage should any part of my body be frozen. As my blows came fast and furious, my opponent somersaulted underneath the open carriage, going through the interior before appearing on the other side. It almost proved to be costly, as my sudden lapse in concentration nearly allowed her to ram a knuckle into my spine, which could paralyze me completely. As I pulled my body to the side, I kept to the centre of the gondola, avoiding any blows that could throw me into the boiling waters below. We were evenly matched, and were evenly tired.

But the unexpected happened as I heard the voice of the warden call to his troops. I had no idea how he did it, but he undid my knots and removed the gag from his mouth. Leaning over the side, he yelled, "Cut the line!" Before anyone of us had a chance to react, the gondola screeched to a halt, nearly throwing us all off balance.

There was silence for a few seconds, but a rhythmic buzzing sound could be heard from the prison. We leaned over and saw the guards operating a huge saw, eating away into the cable and threatening to drop us to our doom. As Sokka and Zuko tried to regain balance, Azula and her friend bailed the doomed gondola, hoping onto one parallel to us. As they descended back to the prison, I heard Azula sneer, "It's time to leave."

We could only look on nervously, waiting for the inevitable as the cable would snap any second now, sending us into the boiling lake below. But as we climbed back into the cab, it unexpectedly started up again. We could only watch in shock as Zuko told us Mai, the usual third member of Azula's team, disabled all the prison guards and turned the engine back on. I was totally caught off guard by this incident, as I understood the risks one took to defy the Fire Nation princess. What could Mai be thinking by letting us go like that? What reason did she have sending known fugitives to their freedom?

Either way, we got ourselves out safely, tossing the re-tied and re-gagged warden back on the gondola as we hurried out. Zuko managed to locate a giant airship, the same one Azula used to get here, and used it to take us to their hiding place: the Western Air Temple. As I mulled over the actions of everyone, I realized that not all hope was lost. If Sokka could free us from prison, Zuko truly changed completely, and the Fire Nation princess could be defied, then the battle could still be won. Balance must be restored to the world, and even with a sliver of hope, I would do my part to make it happen.

________________________________________

"Even if I did defeat Ozai, and I don't know if I could, it would be the wrong way to end the war," The ever wise General Iroh explained to us. It was days after I was freed from the Boiling Rock, and I managed to rejoin everyone at the Western Air Temple. It was there that I found out Fire Lord Ozai planned a large scale attack on the remaining parts of the Earth Kingdom, using Sozin's Comet to boost fire bending powers. Zuko told us that there was no time to wait, and Aang had to face the Fire Lord as soon as possible.

But for some strange reason, Aang disappeared from us just days before the Fire Nation attack, leaving us scrambling for a solution. Zuko recruited a bounty hunter named June to try seeking out Aang via his scent with a pet Shirshu, a large mole-like creature with an extremely keen smell, but it was fruitless. June reported that the Shirshu could not locate Aang, as if he disappeared off the face of the planet. So, Zuko turned to a final resort, and asked June to locate his missing uncle, General Iroh. Ever since Ba Sing Se fell, Iroh had been taken prisoner, but Zuko found out that Iroh had escaped prison on the day of the eclipse. Given that Iroh was probably the only one that could match Ozai's fire bending strength, it was our final chance.

We finally located Iroh in a secret camp outside Ba Sing Se, where a group of rather elderly individuals resided. These people, calling themselves the Order of the White Lotus, planned to liberate Ba Sing Se from the Fire Nation, and they considered Iroh their leader. After letting Zuko reconcile with his uncle, we told him of our plans, to which he calmly but firmly refused to participate in. "History will see it as more senseless violence, a brother killing a brother to grab power," Iroh commented on having him face Ozai, "The only way for this war to end peacefully is for the Avatar to defeat him."

Iroh took it even further by refusing to take his rightful place on the throne. Since he was Fire Lord Azulon's eldest son, the position of Fire Lord was Iroh's to begin with. But even as Zuko offered it to him, Iroh flatly denied the request. "Someone new must take the throne, an idealist with pure heart and unquestionable honour," he stated, giving the position to Zuko, "Only you can restore the honour of the Fire Nation."

But still, the issue was with Aang, and whether he would make it back in time. Iroh insisted that he must, and that everyone should play their roles in helping the Avatar restore balance to the world. "And that's why you gathered the members of the White Lotus," I observed, getting a good look at the different people here. There was a water bender named Pakku, who supposedly became grandfather to Katara and Sokka by going to the South Pole and marrying their grandmother. There was King Bumi from Omashu, which, like Kyoshi Island, was a semi-autonomous region in the Earth Kingdom. There was a maverick fire bender named Jeong Jeong, who Aang originally requested to be his fire bending teacher before meeting Zuko. Finally, there was Piandao, a sword master who taught Sokka the ways of the sword. Seeing the large group of different people from different backgrounds and skills, I realized what it was like to truly integrate the world.

After further discussion with Iroh, it was decided that Zuko and Katara would go to the Fire Nation capital, facing off against Azula to reclaim Zuko's rightful place as the new Fire Lord. Sokka, Toph and I would stall the Fire Nation airship fleet, which was the main tool Ozai would be using to launch the aerial blazing. "The airship base is on a small island just off the Earth Kingdom shore," Piandao instructed us, handing Sokka a map, "You should be able to intercept the fleet within a day's journey."

The three of us mounted on an eel hound, which was the fastest creature to move on land and sea. Glancing at the Sky Bison, where Zuko and Katara were mounted on, we sped off onto the fields, heading straight for our target with only General Iroh's last words in mind. "Today, destiny is our friend, I know it!"

By the time we reached the final body of water between us and the airship base, it was already evening. The sun had dipped to the horizon already, but the skies were still bright as ever, thanks to the comet grazing our planet's atmosphere. Being on the back of the eel hound, I turned around and got a good look at the bright object arriving from the other horizon. "It's weird to say, but the comet actually looks beautiful," I commented. Perhaps this was highly ironic, as such a beautiful object was about to foreshadow the end of the world. With the fleet about to take off, there wasn't a moment to waste.

By the time we reached land, we could see the airships lifting into the sky. The large ominous ovals hovered above us as we fretted nonstop, wondering how we would get on. Toph, suddenly getting an idea, positioned herself right between Sokka and me. With a huge stomp, she used earth bending to send a huge slab of rock up, throwing us into the air and at the nearest airship. I didn't dare to scream despite the terrifying flight, afraid that we might be noticed. But all turned out well as we landed on the airship on the right edge of the formation. "Now let's get to the control room," Toph ordered.

We trudged up to a metal door located at the front. Sokka and I stood to the door's either side as Toph placed her hands on the metallic object. From what I heard, Toph had developed an enhanced earth bending technique called metal bending, which allowed her to feel for the earth-based impurities in a piece of metal and manipulated that. In seconds, Toph crumpled the metal and wrapped it around her body, using it as a shield as she took out the crew inside. Sokka and I stayed outside, ducking and curling our bodies as flames and other debris were sent flying from the room. "She's good, alright," I commented.

Within minutes, Toph emptied the control room of the crew, leaving us with the controls. Sokka originally asked Toph to steer, only to get Toph's sarcastic reminder that a blind girl probably wouldn't make a great navigator. So I offered to take the wheel, placing my hands on the round object as I squinted into the horizon. Fire Lord Ozai was on the large, central ship, and we were quite far away. To make any moves at them, it would bring attention to us and the crew currently onboard. "What will we do about the rest of the crew?" I asked Sokka, realizing that any one of them could sneak up on us.

Sokka, however, had a plan. Instructing me to lower our altitude, he grabbed the intercom and declared that everyone met on the bomb bay, claiming that there was a staff member onboard whose birthday was today. Then, with his eyes on the open area, he made sure all crew members were gathered before yanking on the release lever. All the crew fell into the ocean below, leaving the ship completely to ourselves. "Smart move," I commented again, rising back to our original altitude, "That's why I like you so much."

The rest of our flight was uneventful but anxious, as we realized that we would have great difficulties catching up to the Fire Lord. Ozai's larger airship was way ahead of us, and there wasn't enough power in our engines to stop him in time. As we fretted over the consequences, something unusual happened. Ozai's airship fishtailed violently, causing it to bank into the rocks below. Sokka, who observed the events through his telescope, couldn't help but beam. "It's Aang! He's back!" he shouted.

Within seconds of the announcement, flames and rocks shot into the air. Ozai had finally approached Aang, thus beginning the final battle. In the airship, I was reluctant to do too much cheering, unlike Sokka. "Shouldn't we be helping him?" I demanded.

Sokka shook his head. "The Fire Lord is Aang's fight. We have to stop that air fleet from burning down the Earth Kingdom." He leaned his head outside the window and, after a few minutes of thought, recommended a move called "airship slice." Pointing to the airship formation before us, he instructed me to raise the altitude even more, going higher than the fleet and cutting them down one by one.

I cocked an eyebrow at Sokka, not knowing what exactly he meant. It was best that I gave way to him, allowing Sokka to have the controls while Toph and I braced ourselves for the impact. From my position further back, all I saw was Sokka pulling various controls and levers, causing a massive punch onto our bodies as we were lifted higher. My stomach rumbled nervously as we were far away from the formation, going to the far left as Sokka was a statue of concentration, not even flinching from his pilot seat. As he lined us up for the attack, I could feel intense heat coming from below. "That's a lot of fire, isn't it?" I heard Toph murmur, her usually tough tone turned timid and mild.

Immediately following Toph's comment, our bodies were thrown in another direction, this time towards the front of the aircraft as Sokka made a sudden descent. We had the fleet of airships in our sight, each one raining down fire onto the Earth Kingdom territory below. The strain on the mechanisms of our airship was so great that I could hear hissing, creaking and cracking from the metallic exterior, making me wonder if we could even survive this manoeuvre at all. "It's going to be a rough ride," Sokka called to us through gritted teeth, "We have to get to the top of this thing fast."

Sokka guided Toph out of the control room first, and then asked me to follow her. "Watch each other's backs," he told me before giving me a kiss. Even as my whole body shook in fear, I forced myself on, hoping that we could get out of this alive and together. Just as we scaled the ladder to the top, we could feel the collisions onto the tops of the airship fleet, bump after violent bump making any progress difficult. My muscles strained and pulled as we clenched onto the ladder, with Sokka, the last one to leave the control room, nearly not getting off in time. By the time Toph punched a hole to the top, I could truly see our airship falling apart, flames and smoke emitting from various places.

We finally managed to pull Sokka out from the hole, letting him guide us away from the carnage. Throughout the entire time, he grabbed Toph's hand, guiding the blind girl to the front while I raced on behind them. The metal below my feet creaked and bent some more, and I wasn't sure how much more this airship could take. Just as Toph and Sokka crossed the middle point, the airship fell apart, leaving me on the other side falling away. "Don't worry about me, just finish the mission!" I yelled as they disappeared from sight. In my mind, there was the idea the mission might succeed at the expense of my life.

But my spirits were unexpectedly lifted, as the broken part of the airship fell right onto another airship just below me. The collision rocked both aircrafts, causing me to fall off my ship and onto the one below. I could tell that, from the relative good shape it was still in, that it wasn't among the ones that was hit by Sokka's airship slice attack. Even so, the huge smash it took from the pieces of the broken airship I was on was enough to send its crew scrambling for an evacuation, with many people just diving into the water below. Struggling to my feet, my eyes alternated between my current position and where the others were. With Sokka and Toph tumbling onto another airship, and this airship being emptied at the moment, this might be my chance to bring an end to this.

I quickly climbed down from the top, hurrying into the control room as the airship dipped dangerously. All these airships had similar design, so it wasn't difficult for me to locate the right switches and levers to pull. Stabilizing the aircraft, I aimed it straight at the remaining airship and went full throttle. I could see several fire benders lining up on the deck, so I figured Toph and Sokka must have fallen onto that craft, and were about to be smoked alive. "Let's hope this can save them," I wished through gritted teeth.

I barely had time to get to the top, as my airship slammed into theirs in the most violent hit yet. I was nearly thrown off the ladder and back into the hold as I landed the hit. Straining to hold on, my entire body felt like boulders as I dragged myself to the top, hanging onto the rudder for support after an exhausting climb. From my position, I could see two figures, the one in blue sprawled to the ground favouring his leg while the one in green looking on excitedly. Even without getting near them, I could sense the relief on their faces. "Are you guys alright?" I yelled as they struggled to get onto my ship.

________________________________________

"I kind of admit I kind of miss the face paint," Sokka commented as we gathered outside the coronation location. A few days had passed since the Avatar defeated Fire Lord Ozai, stripping him of his title and his bending. All prisoners of war were declared to have been released, including my teammates, the Kyoshi Warriors. As we waited for the main event, we met up with Sokka, who was nursing a broken leg after falling from one airship to another. "So how does it feel to be back in uniform again?" he asked.

"It feels great!" Our newest member declared, squeezing in between one Kyoshi Warrior and me. That immediately aroused Sokka's suspicion, as said member was Ty Lee, former ally to Princess Azula and had used Kyoshi disguises to invade Ba Sing Se.

Sensing that Sokka wasn't about to ease up, pointing his crutch in Ty Lee's face like a sword, I grabbed the wooden stick and lowered it to the ground. "It's okay. She's one of us now," I informed Sokka. We explained to him that Ty Lee met the other warriors in prison, and they really got along after exchanging some battle techniques. When I met up with the others after the fight, we decided as a group that Ty Lee would be a new addition to our team. "Anyway, let's pay attention, because here's Zuko," I pointed to the front.

Indeed, our former scarred enemy, now turned friend, appeared to thunderous applause from the crowd. He spoke of the world being torn apart by the war, and that it was up to all of us to put it back together using peace, love, and hope. Getting onto his knees, he allowed the Fire Sage to place upon his head the Fire Nation royal headpiece, officially signalling the beginning of this new age. There was nothing but deafening roars as we cheered on the new Fire Lord, one that we knew could make a change.

I looked around me, seeing Sokka lean on his crutch. We stared at each other for a while before moving closer, cuddling each other as Aang and Zuko took their first steps as the new leaders of the world. Looking back, the world had indeed changed for me. I went from being the leader of an isolated all-female battle group, jealously guarding the island from any outsiders, whether friend or foe, to a world-seeing individual who not only tolerated other groups, but accepted them for who they were. My boyfriend was from the Water Tribes, the newest member of my team was from the Fire Nation, and we all looked up to an Avatar originating from the Air Nomads.

Perhaps that was what we at Kyoshi Island required: integration. We had been isolated for so long that we were refusing to accept changes, and it was intolerance for differences that created such a war. We could still hold on to our customs and traditions, but we didn't have to be so defensive about it. If Aang and Zuko, two people isolated in their journeys of life, could come together and make the world a better place, then it was only right I played my part too. As I watched the festivities, I thought of one thing.

My name is Suki. That was my story. Those were my rites of passage.


	9. Mai, Part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Each character grows up with a set of experiences unique to themselves. Watch each person describe what went through their minds and how they changed as they reacted to the world. These are their stories, these are their rites of passage.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: Michael DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko own Avatar.

The shadow of the large tree I sat under hovered over me, keeping me out of the scorching summer sun. From my position, I watched my two lifelong friends, the Fire Nation Princess Azula, and the cheerful, chipper, and acrobatic Ty Lee. Just like me, Ty Lee was the daughter of a Fire Nation nobleman. The ever competitive Azula was following Ty Lee's lead in learning acrobatics, and was having some difficulty with it. Compared to Ty Lee, who was a complete natural, Azula was downright clumsy.

But the Fire Nation princess wasn't one who fancied people that showed her up, as she sneaked up on Ty Lee while the cheerful one was finishing her back flips. Just as she landed perfectly, Azula planted a two-handed shove onto Ty Lee's back, sending her face-first to the grass. As Azula laughed and taunted Ty Lee, I couldn't help but think about how I met two people with such different personalities. Originally, the three of us attended the Royal Fire Academy for Girls, and often ran into each other. Since we were in so many classes together, it was natural that we bonded and hung out together.

But things would take a change, as Ty Lee and I were merely nobles and had to worry about our families' political careers. That meant always getting on the good side of the Fire Lord Azulon, Azula's grandfather and namesake, and we were taught to behave properly throughout our lives. Recently, my father received a promotion and had to move into the Fire Nation capital. While my parents dealt with our new house, I went over to the Fire Nation palace with Ty Lee and met up with Azula. I wasn't really into their games, preferring to remain quiet and polite. It was a staple in my family, where I would receive whatever I wished as long as I behaved, so being silent as the grave was nothing new to me. However, there was something in the palace that interested me.

I turned my head to the side, just in time to see my object of interest. It was a boy, about a year older than me, strolling past the garden with her mother. He was Azula's brother Zuko, a Fire Prince and the only son of Ozai and Ursa. While I wasn't one to display emotion publicly, I had to admit that he was kind of cute. Just like a royal family member, he had to walk straight and proud and remain calm and collected, not showing any fear in the face of danger. But yet, the fact that he was still so attached to his mother made me feel there were still some childlike tendencies in him. I felt my cheeks heat up like the fire bending techniques being practiced back at the academy, my face probably flushed redder than Zuko's clothing. So was it wrong for me to have a crush on him?

Apparently, I wasn't subtle enough. Azula and Ty Lee noticed my predicament at the tree. Azula whispered something into Ty Lee's ear, causing the acrobat to giggle nonstop as the Fire Princess rushed off. I didn't bother looking, but I had an idea what she was up to. I only heard Zuko's vehement opposition to Azula's proposal that he had to join us. Only after Ursa's urging did Zuko relent and entered the garden, his face pressed into a hard fume. Getting up, I wondered what they were up to.

Azula grabbed my arms and pulled me out of the tree shade. The bright sun slashed into my eyes, causing me to squint as Azula reached above me to the branches above. She plucked out an apple and balanced it on my head. Azula then strutted over to Zuko and Ty Lee, her chest puffed out and her arms half-flexed. When she described the game, I could only cock an eyebrow at her. "Try to knock the apple off the other person's head like this," she stated, getting into her position between the others.

Before I could prepare, Azula thrust her arm forward, a line of flames shooting out of her index and middle fingers and straight at my face. I could barely holler as the fire zinged my head, barely missing my hair and lighting the apple on fire. I wasn't a fire bending prodigy like Azula, so to see that trick was surprising and shocking. But I never expected the target would be me, and I was seconds away from having my hair lit up.

But before I could even show any sign of worry, Zuko lunged towards me. My eyes grew larger than the sun as the boy reached for the object on my head, trying to prevent an accident. The actions slowed down entirely as I opened my mouth, letting out a long scream as Zuko's face dominated my entire line of sight. Tensing up my muscles, I felt our bodies collide, my ribcage taking the brunt of Zuko's hit. I was sent into the air in total panic. Squeezing my eyes shut, I could only hope that I would land on something soft.

Wait, wasn't there a fountain behind me? So that meant I would be royally soaked then, right? By the time I realized it, it was too late. Our bodies crashed into the pool with ferocious velocity, water soaking through my clothes and hair. Plus, with Zuko's body entangled with mine, there was a new numbness from my legs. I spat out some water, not even caring if Zuko got hit, and shook my head hard to wring the water out of my hair. As I opened my eyes again, I could see Azula and Ty Lee laughing at us. "They're so cute together," Ty Lee commented, pointing at us.

Zuko, feeling the humiliation, left in a huff, letting me field the majority of the embarrassing remarks. Turning to Azula and Ty Lee, I felt my fists clench up, my back and shoulders tightening as I glared at them. "You two are such…ugh!" I spat.

That only caused more laughter as I stormed out of the fountain, ripping through the grass and returning to the safety of my tree. The last thing I wanted was to be shown up like that, especially in front of Zuko. So I had a crush on him, but did that mean they had to expose me like that in public? As I crossed my arms and pursed my lips, I could feel the water still dripping from my clothes. Still, Zuko was kind enough to "rescue" me from that situation, so I should give him credit. "Let's hope I see him again," I muttered.

________________________________________

"Please tell me you're here to kill me," I greeted Azula in an unorthodox but absolutely realistic way. It had only been a few days since my family moved to the city of Omashu, which was conquered by the Earth Kingdom. Their king Bumi gave up almost without a fight and the governorship was handed to my father. Despite coming to this new place, I was honestly bored to tears regarding what it had to offer. So, to see Azula and Ty Lee drop by for a visit, I was more than relieved.

My response got a kick out of the two, with Ty Lee giddily pulling me into an embrace. I honestly thought Ty Lee ran off to join the circus, as years in the Fire Nation capital with so many things to conform to made it difficult for her to stand. But Ty Lee explained that despite it was her calling, Azula called louder, gesturing to the Fire Nation princess right beside her. "I have a mission," Azula offered, "And I need you both."

We entered the former Omashu royal residence, which had been turned into my father's home for the time being. Summoning the servants, we had my parents come to the main meeting room to hear out Azula's proposal. My father's patronage to the Fire Lord finally paid off with this appointment. But given that Fire Princess Azula was to tour the newly conquered area personally, he couldn't afford to mess up. I rolled my eyes as my parents, a set of pathetically helpless faces, got on their knees before Azula, apologizing for a billion things. "You've come at a difficult time. At noon, we're making a trade with the resistance to get Tom-Tom back," my father stuttered.

I cocked an eyebrow, as finally something interesting was about to happen. A few years back, my parents decided to have another child, ending my fourteen-year run as the only child in the family. Two years ago, Tom-Tom, my little brother, officially came into the world, and had moved to Omashu with us. The citizens were evacuated yesterday with some sort of pandemic, which officially removed the resistance movement from our city. But word got out that my brother Tom-Tom left with them, making us believe that the movement kidnapped him. To get him back, we offered to trade them their former king. Knowing Azula wouldn't be pleased, I would love to hear her response here.

Indeed, to my expectation, Azula chewed my father out, calling him out for the mess he created. "Mai will handle the hostage trade so you don't have a chance to mess things up," Azula decided, getting onto her feet. She marched out with strong and authoritative steps, signalling to Ty Lee and me and asked me where Bumi was kept.

I led them to the top of Omashu, or as Azula now dubbed it, New Ozai. Being on a mountain, the governor residence was at the top, and currently there was a new statue of Fire Lord Ozai being built. Fire Lord Azulon passed away a few years ago, and Azula's father succeeded his father as the new Fire Lord. With the new government in place, she ordered that the new statue be built and the entire city be reorganized. We kept Bumi in a large metal coffin-like container, suspended in the air and away from all soil and rocks, as not to allow an escape via earth bending. As we made our way to the top platform, we could see the metal coffin being lowered from behind the statue. We stared forward and got a glimpse of our opponents: it was a set of water benders and a boy dressed in orange. Tom-Tom was in the hands of the male water bender, oblivious to what was going on.

But before anyone could move, Azula interrupted. "A thought just occurred to me," she called from my left, "We're trading a two-year-old for a powerful earth bending king. It just doesn't seem like a fair trade, does it?" she asked, cocking an eyebrow.

Sensing Azula's idea, I immediately agreed. Knowing that we could take the other side, maybe we could get Tom-Tom back and defeat the threesome. Boldly stepping up, I announced with as much energy as I could muster, "The deal's off!" With that, the crane operator lifted Bumi back into the air, much to the surprise of our opponents.

The boy in the orange and yellow robe immediately gave chase, prompting Azula to whip around and shoot a blast of fire at him. In some miraculous move, the boy evaded the blue flames from the Fire Nation princess, leaping high into the air and opening his staff into a glider. I watched with amusement as his orange cap fell off, revealing a large blue arrow. "It's the Avatar," Azula declared, "My lucky day." As the boy flew higher into the air, Azula approached the compound and gave chase.

Ty Lee and I took on the two water benders, charging them head-on as they prepared their weapons. From our analysis before, it seemed like the girl was an actual water bender. The boy, despite lacking bending, was knowledgeable in using different weapons, making them dangerous in their own ways. Based on our fighting styles, it was decided that Ty Lee went after the male, as her close-range chi-blocking attacks were better suited to fighting a non-bender. But for me, I would take on the water bending girl, finally putting my years of self-taught skill to good use.

The girl took a stand against us while the boy, holding Tom-Tom, tried rushing to safety. It wasn't going to be easy, as Ty Lee ducked under the construction boards and negotiated her way through them with ease. Her years of acrobatic training allowed her to be even faster than a runner when she was swinging through bars. That in turn allowed her to ambush the opponent, punching out his foot from under him. The Water Tribe boy flopped to the ground, skidding along before halting just before the edge, with Tom-Tom still in his hands. Ty Lee then reappeared from underneath the boards, rushing for the baby and creating just enough of a distraction to the female water bender.

I whipped out a series of knives from under my sleeve and brandished them in the air. I flung them at the girl, who witnessed it at the last second. Using her water whip, she slashed at the wooden boards, sending several into the air and blocking my blades. In one smooth motion, she hurled the boards at me, hoping to throw me off track while she went back to dealing with the running Ty Lee. As the boards became bigger and bigger, I bent my back over in the nick of time, letting the wooden pieces fly over me. The wood bits sailed over my head in slow motion, letting me see exactly where my blades imbedded into. For something I developed over my years of boredom, I say that was pretty good.

By the time I regained balance, I could see the Water Tribe girl send a stream of water onto Ty Lee, tripping her up as the male warrior escaped with Tom Tom. Sensing an opportunity, I immediately pulled out more daggers from my clothes. I usually wore robes with extra-long sleeves, which was suitable for my fighting style, as I could hide many projectiles inside them. Seeing the Water Tribe girl juggle between Ty Lee and me, it was the perfect time to strike. Taking a deep breath, I hurled the knives at her.

My opponent's reflexes were just as quick as my blades, freezing her water into ice and blocking the projectiles in midair. Trying to feel her movements, I decided to get into a better position, taking a wide turn before rushing in on her. But in the midst of my turn, I became too predictable as the water bender shot out a line of water and froze it on my right arm, preventing anything from being hurled out. Frantically, I chopped at the ice block with my left hand, but to not avail. Gritting my teeth, I could only look across at the girl, who glared at me with eyes colder than the ice around my arm.

Luckily, Ty Lee managed to get back onto the platform. There was no sign of the male warrior or Tom-Tom in sight, but it didn't matter as the key thing at hand was to free me first. With a few jabs to the water bender's body, Ty Lee blocked the attacker's chi, paralyzing her completely. Her line of water splashed pathetically to the ground in a long puddle. Tried as she might, but she couldn't manipulate the water again. With my arm still free, I whipped out another blade, the largest and sharpest one of them yet. "How are you going to fight without your bending?" I taunted her.

We soon found out the hard way, as a huge gust of wind rumbled our direction. There was nothing but sand and wood shavings covering our faces as we were lifted into the air, over the platform and down the stairs. Had it not been our training in aerial moves we would have suffered serious injuries for sure. As we struggled back onto our feet, we could see a huge white animal lifting into the air and flying to the city below. The Avatar had taken Bumi's coffin, and Azula was giving chase. Given the aerial power they had, it was difficult for us to chase, meaning there wasn't much we could do for now.

It would be evening by the time we met up with Azula again. While Tom-Tom was still in the resistance's hands, we realized that there wasn't much they could do, with the Avatar's identity now revealed and all. It was decided that my parents and the Fire Nation guards at New Ozai would continue negotiations while we pursued the Avatar and his friends. While I gathered my belongings, Azula also informed us that General Iroh and Prince Zuko were now fugitives of the Fire Nation. They were currently on the run from Fire Nation troops, hiding somewhere within the vast Earth Kingdom. "So we're tracking down your brother and uncle, huh?" I asked Azula as we prepared to depart.

"It'll be interesting seeing Zuko again, won't it, Mai?" Ty Lee chimed in slyly, a wide grin on her face. I couldn't help but turn to the side, my face flushing red as I went back to my childhood days. I did have a crush on him, but now I had to arrest him and bring him back to the Fire Nation to face justice. I wonder what would happen then?

As we went into the sunset, going to the military group preparing to meet Azula, I thought about the past few years. I went from an ordinary girl from a nobleman's family to some type of special law enforcer with Azula. We were on the verge of winning a war, and Zuko somehow turned into a fugitive. What role would I play in these upcoming events? Would they be drastic enough to change the world? And would Zuko still feel the same way I did about him knowing we were now on opposite sides? With intrigue hovering in my mind, I was set on finding out.

________________________________________

"This drill is a feat of scientific ingenuity and raw destructive power. Once it tunnels through the wall, our troops will storm their city. The Earth Kingdom will finally fall, and you can claim Ba Sing Se in the name of your father," War Minister Qin told us as we rode this large, lumbering metallic machine across the dusty plains before reaching the Earth Kingdom capital. Our pursuit of the Avatar's group, along with Zuko and Iroh, had to come to a halt when Azula ordered the Fire Nation to put its latest invention to work.

That was where Ty Lee and I found ourselves, sitting in the main control room of this hunk of metal, slowly creeping its way towards the walled city. I was bored to tears, as there was only sand and dust around us. This beast just couldn't move any faster, and quite frankly the hot, humid atmosphere in the interior was making me sweat, so much so that my hidden blades were sticking onto my skin. On the other side, Ty Lee excitedly reported earth benders approaching our drill. Even when she scanned the outside with the periscope, War Minister Qin kept things dull. "The metal shell is impervious to any earth bending attacks," he snorted, knocking on the periscope and sending Ty Lee reeling back.

Nonetheless, Azula decided to send Ty Lee and me outside to dispatch the earth benders. "Finally, something to do," I muttered, slowly getting out of my chair. A few days back, we managed to chase down the Avatar with another Fire Nation machine, with Ty Lee and me pursuing the two water benders on Basilisks while Azula went after the Avatar. While we were blown away by the Sky Bison again, Azula cornered the Avatar in an abandoned town, where, as luck would have it, Zuko also showed up. Although we didn't witness the details, Azula told us that Iroh appeared, and she used him to distract Zuko and the Avatar's group to make an escape. We were gathered at the nearby Fire Nation military bases ever since, waiting for this gargantuan drill to be completed.

By the time Ty Lee and I slid down from the top, the earth bending teams already created buttresses on the sides of our drill. However, their rocks were no match against the sheer power of our machine, which kept moving like nothing had happened. Sensing the urgency in them, as our drill's continuous movement required them to regroup again and again, it was the perfect time for us to strike. In their confusion, I launched a series of blades at them, paving the way for Ty Lee advance on them to block their chi.

I stayed near the drill, orchestrating a torrential downpour of knives, but my friend in the pink belly shirt was nothing but a blur. She raced around the earth bending teams with unbelievable velocity, her arms jabbing out in various directions. I could see a literal wave of earth benders falling, all of whom lost their ability to move, let alone bend. By the time Ty Lee hopped back onto the drill, there was nothing but paralyzed bodies around us. "It's not too exciting," I commented, helping her back in.

"Yeah, but it does make for a good workout, doesn't it?" Ty Lee replied. There was a layer of perspiration on her bare belly, the liquid causing her midsection to glisten slightly. She had a huge grin on her face as she brushed it off, her fingers dancing on her abdominal muscles and around her navel. I could only roll my eyes, wondering how something as simple and ordinary as wiping sweat could cause that much giddiness. It wasn't a secret that Ty Lee and I were polar opposites, but we got along nonetheless.

No sooner had we gotten back to the control room did we get another message from the War Minister. "Congratulations, crew. The drill has contacted the wall of Ba Sing Se. Start the countdown to victory!" he announced with pride, amidst the cheers echoing in the control room. We took our positions to Azula's either side, trying to gauge her reaction. Despite the milestone, she was a model of concentration. Her eyes narrowed to darts at the wall ahead, determined to win it all today.

The drill shook and rumbled violently, a cloud of debris blasting out from the wall as the front imbedded itself into the stones. We all got to our feet, edging forward from our positions just to get a better look. Just as Qin smirked confidently, two messages were sent through the intercom system declaring that there was a sabotage attempt, with a brace cut clean through and an engineer attacked. I glanced forward and saw Qin's shoulders shake slightly, and even with his back towards us, I could imagine the nervous expression on his face. Sensing that we must take action again, Azula asked us to follow her down to the areas of interest. "Let's go, ladies," she declared.

The scene at the machinery level wasn't surprising at all, as the Avatar and his two water bending friends were at work slicing another brace with some water. Without another word spoken, Azula unleashed a line of fire straight for the bald boy. Azula's fire was blue, indicating a higher skill level than regular benders. With this ability, she could probably do a lot of nasty things to me, or anyone else, should they ever disobey her. But right now, I was certain that the blue flames would be unleashed should we fail. Observing the Avatar the entire way, we saw them duck into another passageway, and we promptly gave chase. "Don't let them out of our sights!" Azula ordered.

We raced through the narrow passage, which was a jungle of tubes hanging over a small catwalk. It led us to an intersection, where we saw the siblings split up with the Avatar, the water benders going left while the boy with the arrow going right. "You two follow them," Azula instructed, pointing down the left hall, "The Avatar is mine!"

Ty Lee and I raced through the hall, knowing that they couldn't have gotten far. We finally caught up with them at a dead end, with the two figures clad in blue jumping into an open hatch. Whipping out two blades, I hurled them at the intruders, who ducked just in time and fell into the hatch. If they disappeared, then it could very well be the end of the chase, given that we had no idea where it led to. Bravely, I edged my head forward.

The scene below was a revolting one, with rocks and water all mixed together into a gooey paste. The viscous liquid steadily flowed out the back of the machine, and its smell was anything but pleasant. "Ugh, it's disgusting!" I complained, scrunching up my face and holding my nose. Whoever that created this drill obviously didn't consider how bad this slurry was, and to have me jump in after them was out of the question.

Ty Lee, ever the chipper one, tried convincing me to go with her, insisting that Azula would be disappointed at us if we didn't catch the intruders. Even so, I wasn't about to budge. "She can shoot all the lightning she wants at me, but I am not going into that wall sludge juice," I insisted, crossing my arms and pursing my lips. Part of Azula's advanced fire bending skills allowed her to generate lightning, and although I had never seen it being demonstrated, I heard about its destructiveness. Knowing that a direct hit could cause death, I would be crazy to let her unleash something like that on me. So, for the longest time, I just did what she was told, hoping she would give me credit each time.

But this time, there was no way I would stand for it. This slurry was the most sickening thing in the world, and I would rather face lightning than swim in it. Ty Lee obviously didn't view it the same way, diving headfirst into the material. As she landed into the pipe, it created a huge splash that almost hit my face. Shivering involuntarily, I closed the hatch and marched off, hoping everything would be taken care of.

For the next few moments, there wasn't much that I could do. I loitered around the catwalk, trying to keep an eye on everything. It gave me some time to think, realizing that for all these years, Azula kept a lid on Ty Lee and me via mainly fear. While we were somewhat friends, it was evident that should there be any important decisions to be made between us three, Azula usually got her way. With the Fire Nation currently the way it was, Azula had much control over everything, including military affairs and the war effort. With that much power saturated into her hands, and such destructive skill with her fire bending, it was clear that whatever Azula wanted, she was likely to get. It made me consider what would happen if Ty Lee and I ever disagreed with her in the future.

Suddenly, a roaring sound echoed through the machine. I glanced up nervously, trying to locate the source. The ground shook nonstop, throwing me about as steam shot in from the surrounding pipes while slurry blasted up from the hatch. From my position, each section of the drill slowly cracked apart as the pressure from the drill's front rushed through the interior, slicing through the cut braces and knocking down each support structure. I held on to the nearest pipe for dear life as the rocking continued through.

By the time I regained balance, I could hear groaning coming from the metals, the drill falling apart as the soft humming below my feet stopped. Letting out one final breath of steam, our machine finally ended its run, our mission a failure as I heard from the top that we couldn't penetrate the final wall. Getting up slowly, I strolled to the nearest hatch that led to the outside, opening it up and taking a good long look. There was slurry all over the back, covering the ground in thick brown goo. Ty Lee and Azula were below, trying to figure out what happened. In one monotonous line, I stated, "We lost."

Our return to the military base was done in complete silence. Ty Lee and I kept glancing over at Azula, wondering if she would unleash her anger at us or Qin for this failure. To be honest, Ty Lee and I actually weren't too fond of Azula always bossing us around, and many times we privately disagreed with her actions. But given her power and status, there wasn't much we could do, as our families' occupations depended on her mood, so to speak. Any attempts for us to speak out were blocked by our fear for her, to the point where we would silently proceed along with her without question. Perhaps it wasn't the best way to go, but for now we really had no other choice.

Surprisingly, Azula was quite muted, keeping a neutral expression throughout our entire trudge back. Maybe she had another plan in mind, as she always claimed her ideas were superior. But until then, I was content to get back into my tent and wash myself of the slurry memories. If succeeding in a mission meant being near something that gross, then I would much rather lose this battle and concocted another plan for another day.

________________________________________

"The Earth King and the Council of Five do not trust the Dai Li. They imprisoned your leader, Long Feng," Azula announced to the group of agents dressed in dark robes, standing in order before us in this large, cavernous chamber. After the last defeat with the drill, Azula came up with another plan to infiltrate the Earth Kingdom, this time trying to pose as traditional Earth Kingdom allies and slipping into the palace. Luckily, the Kyoshi Warriors were patrolling the nearby region, giving us the perfect undercover outfits. Despite being outnumbered, we took them down relatively quickly, sending them all back to the Fire Nation as prisoners while taking their costumers for our personal use.

And the plan worked to perfection, as we managed to fool the royal guards and even the Earth King himself. Although given that the Earth King was a total dolt, I felt it was expected. Azula explained that the Dai Li, Ba Sing Se's secret police, would be a crucial part to our operations. She revealed our plans aloud in hopes of getting a meeting with their leader Long Feng. It was found that Long Feng was imprisoned by the Earth King, and Azula made a deal to give him power over Ba Sing Se should Long Feng get Azula the Avatar. It seemed to gain Long Feng's trust, which allowed us to proceed.

But knowing Azula, she had other plans as well. Immediately, she called this meeting of the Dai Li, claiming to have news for them from Long Feng. But really, it was her attempt to gain their trust instead, hoping to use them to her advantage. "This coup must be swift and decisive," Azula continued, marching down from her podium. She had a straight posture, her every step taken with confidence as she observed the troops. "Long Feng has placed you in my command as we overthrow the government. If I sense any disloyalty, any hesitation, any weakness at all, I will smell it out," she finished in a low, sinister tone, glaring right into the eyes of the agent directly before her.

As she dismissed the Dai Li, Ty Lee and I invited her back to the podium where we served her a cup of tea. Part of Azula's ability to install fear into people was that she gave them very little wiggle room when her mind was set. "I thought you were going to make that one guy pee in his pants," I commented, pointing to the Dai Li agent she shot daggers into prior to their dismissal. I had to admit it was fun watching Azula intimidate people, seeing their faces twist up in horror. I had never wished for Azula turning that face on me, which was why I remained loyal for all this time.

But Azula soon snapped me back into reality as she asked us to prepare. Ty Lee and I were assigned to observe the Earth King all day, never letting him out of our sights. It meant being cooped up into these nauseating Kyoshi costumes, but if it meant making our mission a success, then maybe it was worth it. "My brother and uncle will be showing up at the palace today, and I want to personally greet them," Azula stated as we headed back to the throne room. Whatever was about to happen, it would be making history.

The rest of the day went peacefully as Ty Lee and I parked ourselves next to the Earth King's throne. We merely awaited further orders, barely saying a word to anyone. The bespectacled doofus spent more time talking to his pet bear than worrying about his country's current situation, which made me wonder what made him king in the first place. "At least Zuko works to regain his honour, even though he's now branded as a traitor," I muttered to myself, "What has this guy done to gain anybody's respect?"

With that thought, it really brought my mind back to Zuko. Ever since he spoke out of turn at his father's war meeting three years ago, I hadn't seen him at all. The word was that Zuko was forced to fight an Agni Kai against his father, leading to him getting the scar at his eye. His punishment was to capture the Avatar, as that was the only way to restore his honour to the Fire Nation. Part of me truly sympathized with him, as the burns he suffered to his face and his heart must be really deep. While I understood the decision Fire Lord Ozai made, I couldn't help but wonder what this put Zuko through. Perhaps, if we managed to reunite with him, he would be a changed person. And if he could defeat the Avatar or the Earth Kingdom, then certainly it would score him some points, right?

My concentration was soon shattered as two people barged into the throne room. From battles past, I recognized them as the male warrior from the Southern Water Tribe and his blind earth bender friend. As usual, Ty Lee had to go flirt with the Water Tribe boy. It was no secret that she had a crush on him, mentioning him every single time we met up. But the reunion was short-lived, as the earth bender realized our plan and shot a slab of rock at Ty Lee. "They're not the real Kyoshi Warriors!" she shouted.

The rock blast sent Ty Lee flying into the air, doing several somersaults before landing on a ledge above the throne. Sensing that there was finally a chance for me to take action, I hurled a series of blades at the earth bender. She neatly shot up another slab of rock, blocking my projectiles before sending the entire block at me. My years of academy training allowed me to leap over the piece with ease, which complemented my knife-throwing abilities very well. As I landed, I searched for the next set of blades.

But there would be no need, as Azula held the Earth King hostage. "This fight is over," she declared, waving her fingers at the king's head. There was the ominous blue flame again, ready to spear in the simpleton's brain. When our two opponents surrendered, Ty Lee did a series of jabs at the Water Tribe boy and the earth bender. With them now paralyzed, Azula pushed the Earth King down from his throne. "Get them all out of my sight."

As the Dai Li agents pulled our opponents, along with the Earth King and his pet bear, away from the throne room, a squat, balding man appeared before us. He was in an Earth Kingdom suit, similar to the one Azula had on, and had a fume on his face. Behind him were a squadron of Dai Li agents, lined up in formation and glaring gat the front emotionlessly. "Now comes the part where I double-cross you," Long Feng told Azula in a slightly mocking tone, "Dai Li, arrest the Fire Nation princess!" he ordered, his eyes aimed smugly right at Azula as he closed in on his prize: the Earth Kingdom throne.

Oddly enough, nobody moved. Ty Lee and I were at the side, glancing at each other in slight confusion. Azula told us how she had plans to deal with Long Feng a while back, but now we weren't sure what would happen. Long Feng ordered his agents to attack again, and the response was the same silence. When Azula responded that the Dai Li agents were unsure of how the battle would end, Ty Lee and I knew on the spot that Long Feng had lost.

We turned to Azula as she pulled off the total reversal on Long Feng. Staring down the former Dai Li leader, Azula taunted him with his history. "You were born with nothing, so you've had to struggle and connive and claw your way to power," she sneered at Long Feng, whose expression turned from frustration to shock, "But true power, the divine right to rule, is something you're born with. The fact is the Dai Li don't know which one of us will be sitting on that throne, and which one is going to be bowing down. But I know, and you know," Azula concluded, plopping into the Earth King's old seat.

As Azula glanced nonchalantly at Long Feng, we couldn't help but get a kick out of his reaction. His mouth was dropped to the ground, his arms shaking, and beads of sweat rolled down from his face. The golden moment came when he got to his knees and bowed before Azula. "You've beaten me at my own game," he stated, conceding totally.

Azula smirked, watching the pathetic scene before her. "Don't flatter yourself," she replied arrogantly, "You were never even a player." With a wave of her hand, the Dai Li agents behind Long Feng stepped up and arrested their former leader. That act alone showed us that from this moment on, Azula would be in charge. "I still have to get my brother, so just stay here and make sure nothing happens," she instructed to us.

As she marched off, Ty Lee and I returned to the front, sitting on the steps before the throne. Azula's words truly got me thinking, as she had a way with people that no one else could possibly imagine. Was this truly why Ty Lee and I stayed with her for so long? Because we feared her so much? How many mind games had Azula truly played on us for the past years? And if she managed to get Zuko back to the Fire Nation, what else would she do to cement her place in the Fire Nation? All these thoughts intrigued me as I thought about how to go about adjusting to a new lifestyle after conquering Ba Sing Se.

"Where's that bear the Earth King has? He's kind of fun," Ty Lee quipped, cutting into my concentration, "Why don't we bring him back and see what we can get him to do?" she suggested, marching off. I could only shake my head at the ever cheerful one, wondering if she realized that the world was about the change. She was always in her pink world, always seeing life through the same set of eyes. Would there ever be a time when she approached an issue differently, and actually saw some things for what they were rather than through pink-tinted shades? I guessed only time would tell.

________________________________________

"It's taken a hundred years, but the Fire Nation has conquered Ba Sing Se!" Azula announced, sitting comfortably at the throne. We were told when she went to the catacombs below the palace, Azula wanted to see Zuko. The Dai Li imprisoned him there, along with that Water Tribe girl that we captured when we sneaked in as the Kyoshi Warriors. We were given the task of guarding the throne room while Azula dealt with Zuko, and Ty Lee and I merely loitered around taught the bear new tricks.

And was it ever boring sitting there watching Ty Lee speak to the bear like he was my baby brother Tom-Tom. The only interruption we had was when the Water Tribe boy and his earth bender friend charged back in, pulling Ty Lee down from her handstand with earth bending while they took the bear. Even when the Avatar's group supposedly got away, Azula seemed like she was in relatively good spirits. She sang Zuko's praises as she invited him into the throne room, briefing him on our supposed return home.

But Zuko was anything but chipper, as he was downcast, and his eyes never left the floor. I had to admit that he was even more attractive now that he grew up, his stature taller and more muscular than the fairly scrawny little boy I saw those years back. Still, I truly wondered what was going through Zuko's mind. As Azula congratulated her brother on his ferocious battle, saying how she would have never defeated the Avatar without his assistance, Zuko merely murmured, "I betrayed Uncle."

I cocked an eyebrow, not realizing that Iroh was siding against us. From the day Zuko was banished, I knew that Iroh had become Zuko's surrogate father, and throughout the three years they were wandering the world, Zuko and Iroh had grown quite close. It was obvious in many respects, as Zuko had never been close to his father Ozai, and Iroh lost his own son, Lu Ten, here in Ba Sing Se. I understood that Zuko must have been very conflicted regarding what to do, as helping Azula meant fighting the man he loved and respected. I could imagine the pain he had when he made that choice, releasing that first fist of fire as he turned against his uncle in the catacombs below.

But Azula was quick to dismiss Zuko's doubts, claiming that it was Iroh who betrayed him by asking Zuko to turn on the Fire Nation and had him run away from his responsibilities. "When you return home, Father will welcome you as a war hero," Azula declared, getting up from her throne and staring at the standing figure to her left.

Even from my position in the corner, I could sense Zuko's apprehensiveness. "But I don't have the Avatar," he muttered, his tone weak and quiet, "What if Father doesn't restore my honour?" he asked, more to himself than to Azula. Whatever doubts about Zuko's sincerity I still had inside me melted away in an instant thanks to that line. I knew that, after the Agni Kai incident, Zuko had wanted his father to recognize him again. So, to see Zuko choose his country and, should the time come, his throne, I couldn't help but respect him even more. If someone could convince him to return to the Fire Nation and embrace those who used to support him, it would be great for his morale.

Azula, however, beat me to the punch again. Placing a hand on her brother's shoulder, she stated boldly, "Today, you restored your own honour." The two siblings at the Earth Kingdom throne couldn't be more opposite, with Azula being assertive while Zuko passive. This was the story of their lives, with Azula being the favoured child and Zuko the neglected one. Add the past few years of wandering the world into the fray and it was evident that Zuko required some time to recover from the ordeal.

Deciding that I heard enough, I decided to retire to my room. There were so many things to still figure out, but for now, I was eager to just rest. The Fire Nation won a huge battle at Ba Sing Se today, meaning it had most of the Earth Kingdom territory occupied. Of course, my role in it was small, being an undercover Kyoshi Warrior, and it wasn't even that enjoyable. As I said before, victory was boring, but if it meant keeping Azula relatively satisfied, I was willing to pay the price. I just hoped my parents and Tom-Tom were enjoying their time at the even duller city of New Ozai better than I was.

Speaking of family, maybe this was one reason why, even as the Fire Nation got its biggest victory in history, I didn't feel any jubilance. Sure I was happy that we won, and somewhat relieved that Zuko rejoined us rather than continue running like a fugitive. But whenever I felt something, I had an equally great urge to suppress it. Even when I heard from my parents that Tom-Tom was returned to them shortly after I left New Ozai, I didn't feel the urge to celebrate his safe return. It felt somewhat awkward, like I had all the rewards in the world, but couldn't touch a single one.

Sighing, I entered my chamber and changed out of my Kyoshi Warrior uniform. I guessed Azula might still stay in Ba Sing Se for the next few days, sorting out the bureaucratic mess now at hand with a leadership change. With our return to the Fire Nation eminent, I could only wonder what the next possible step for me would be.


	10. Mai, Part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Each character grows up with a set of experiences unique to themselves. Watch each person describe what went through their minds and how they changed as they reacted to the world. These are their stories, these are their rites of passage.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: Michael DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko own Avatar.

"Where is everyone? Azula told me that Admiral Liang was visiting and wanted to join us for dinner. All of us," I asked, looking around this empty courtyard. It was only a few days after the Fire Nation officially conquered Ba Sing Se, and Azula managed to bring Zuko back on our side. I didn't get much of a chance to speak with Zuko even after he came back, so I hadn't heard too much about how he was doing. In fact, this dinner with Admiral Liang was officially the first meal I had with Zuko in years.

But for a gathering with one of the Fire Nation's most skilled admirals, it was very quiet. There was a small table in the courtyard with only two seats. Plates of food encircled a series of candles in the centre, making this more like a dinner for two than anything else. From the other entrance to the courtyard, Zuko stood with a perplexed look on his face. "She told me the same thing, Mai," he replied, "She's up to something."

We slowly approached the table, my face warming up as I peered at the plates. Zuko and I were dressed in traditional Earth Kingdom outfits tonight, opting for a mix of green and yellow rather than the traditional Fire Nation red. I couldn't say that I liked this colour any better, but after wearing it for a while I started getting used to it. We hovered over the table, letting the smells of steamed buns, fried rice, and other dishes waft into our nostrils. "The food doesn't look that awful," I stated, picking up a pair of chopsticks and poking a fried item, "I guess we shouldn't let it go to waste," I suggested to Zuko.

Zuko shrugged as we took our seats. I took a quick glance at him, trying to gauge his face, but to no avail. I knew from his experiences that he was very conflicted, having to send his own uncle to prison, but whatever troubles present inside his mind were being masked quite well. He calmly grabbed some food from the plate, slipping it into his mouth and chewed it thoughtfully. "Almost tastes like Fire Nation food, just not seasoned enough," he commented, his eyes not even lifting up. Despite the relative calmness, I could sense some uneasiness in him. The Zuko I knew was a bit more expressive than this, and didn't hesitate to voice out or take action. The best case in point was the incident with the flaming apple game, when he didn't even hesitate in supposedly rescuing me from having my hair lit on fire. So for me, this was definitely a sign that all was not well with the Fire Prince, who was more focused on his food than me.

Whatever train of thought I had was disturbed by an out-of-tune, inartistic Dai Li agent. He stepped up to us strumming his instrument, his song so bad that we just lost whatever appetite we had. "Can you please stop that? You're giving me a headache!" Zuko yelled, gripping his head, the horrible music almost making our ears bleed.

As the Dai Li agent smiled sheepishly, I could hear a couple of voices giggling in the bushes. The sudden sounds did not sit well with Zuko, who promptly marched over to the shrubs and showed off his famous fieriness. "I know you're back there, Azula! Don't you have something more important to do?" he snapped, his entire body tightening.

Indeed, to neither one of our surprises, Azula and Ty Lee popped out from the bushes. Earlier, when Zuko and I approached the table all alone, I had some idea that Azula and Ty Lee had something to do with it. While Azula calmly brushed herself off, sliding the blame on their presence here to Ty Lee, Zuko and I decided to leave the area immediately. "Let's go to the city for a walk," he suggested, shooting Azula a dark look.

As we strolled into the markets, a series of smells blasted through my nostrils. Most of these were foreign to me, and some weren't exactly pleasant. "Ugh, do people actually eat any of this?" I complained, casting a downward gaze at the stalls. I had to admit that I had never really been outside of the Fire Nation, and my knowledge of the culture and cuisine of other places was limited. Knowing Zuko's journeys, I tried to stay open-minded, but some stuff was just too disgusting to bear.

Zuko was about to elaborate, but an Earth Kingdom girl soon monopolized his attention. The Ba Sing Se native had a green tunic with a yellow belt tied around the waist. "Lee, I can't believe it. It's been so long!" she exclaimed, clinging onto Zuko. Seeing the new girl's excitement, I couldn't help but wonder who she was.

But before I got a chance to respond, it was the girl who demanded of my identity first. Zuko glanced at me uneasily, trying to spin a way out of this. "Hi, Jin, um…" he stuttered, his hand wringing nervously. I had to admit that nervous Zuko was a rare scene, but was loads of fun to watch. "This is just my friend. My friend Mai, from the circus, is the knife thrower. Yeah!" he concluded with an apprehensive chuckle.

The new girl, Jin, glanced at me in awe and amazement, wondering what type of skills I had. I couldn't help but smirk, as in this dingy and overpopulated Earth Kingdom metropolis I inadvertently gained a new fan. "Here, I'll show you," I offered, pushing Zuko to the fountain at the middle of the square. Putting Zuko into position, I grabbed a fish from a nearby stall and slapped it onto his head. "That's better," I commented.

I could feel Jin's nervous stare as I strolled back to the stall and casually broke off a long icicle. Although I had no confirmation of this, I guessed that Jin met Zuko, or for her case Lee, sometime during Zuko's stay in Ba Sing Se. Whether they actually got to know each other well was uncertain, although I doubted that Zuko would release that much information about his past to her. In my mind, I felt that experience might have been Zuko's first taste of happiness in years, given Jin's relatively positive tone. If only you knew what Zuko has been through, I thought.

Staying in character, I positioned myself in a direct line with Zuko, showing Jin the grip I had on the icicle. "It's all in the wrist, really," I told her, recalling the countless projectiles I had tossed throughout my life. Taking aim at Zuko's head, I reeled back and let the ice loose, the sharp transparent blade going straight at the Fire Prince.

Then, as if it were attracted to the fish, the icicle impaled it right on the belly, the sharp end sticking out the other side. Zuko, his eyebrows curled tightly, was completely unharmed. I couldn't help but snicker at his reaction. Did he really think I was so poor in the skills department that I would send the icicle straight through his head? Beside me, Jin couldn't help but applaud. "Wow! That was amazing!" she exclaimed.

My eyes alternated between Zuko and Jin, my face gushing with pride as I managed to impress someone with my act. But then, my eyes landed on the fountain behind Zuko, and found it a great way to get some payback. Turning to Jin with a slightly mischievous grin, I asked her if she wanted to try throwing an icicle.

At first Jin refused, insisting that she couldn't possibly hurl one of those. But her words were nothing but murmurs as I focused in on Zuko's face. His eyes became bigger than the moon, and his body paralyzed like most of the fish on that stand. If my plan was to succeed, I would have plenty of stories to tell when I got back to the Fire Nation.

Finally, Jin was convinced, and gripped a piece of ice from the stand. I eased her into position and asked her to do as I did earlier. As Jin got into her wind-up, I could see Zuko's face scrunch up in fear. As the icicle was released, it headed away from the fish, as expected. Instead, Jin threw it low, aiming right for Zuko's face instead. Zuko shouted out in fear, dodging hard to the side and letting the icicle sail straight into the fountain. But as he did that, he lost his balance, and fell backwards into the water.

There were a couple of splashes here and there as Zuko struggled to regain balance, but my mission there was complete. Marching to the fountain and sticking my head in, I sneered, "Now we're even," I recalled back when Azula played the apple game with me and Zuko tried saving me by pushing me into a pool.

Zuko roared and anger and pulled himself out of the fountain. That was my cue to run as he pursued me through the streets of Ba Sing Se. I didn't even get a chance to say goodbye to Jin as he cornered me in an alley. "Are you crazy? You could have gotten me killed!" he ranted, trying to hold me in one place as I weaved back and forth.

"Whatever, Lee!" I retorted, trying hard to suppress my giggles. All those feelings that I felt all those years ago, when I raced away from the fountain wet and embarrassed, all came soaring back. Back then, I had a small crush on him, and I still remembered how my face would flush red every time he marched by. I had always wanted some time with Zuko together, wondering what he was really like. Well, tonight, I got it all.

And Zuko wasn't completely oblivious to it either, as he stopped his wild pursuit of me. Holding me still, his golden orbs looked into mine as noise from our surroundings was blocked out. As we stared into each other, Zuko quietly reminisced, "You finally seem to be enjoying yourself. I've missed seeing this side of you."

My eyes shifted to the ground, unsure of how to react. While I had the natural urge to suppress my emotions, it was also a fact that I had never heard someone being so open to me before. And adding to this formula was that it came from the very same person I had a crush on. "A lot had changed since the days when I used to throw mud on your face," I managed to eke out, my mind still flustered from his words. I placed a hand on his face and turned him to me. "But not everything's changed," I concluded. Whatever confusion I still had, I was about to end it with my decision to show Zuko the feelings I had for him, the same feelings I had stored in the deepest parts of my heart.

I could feel our faces lean closer, almost like the brisk evening wind had blown us together as I felt his breath on my cheeks. I had never been this open with my feelings before, not even before my own family. But somehow, seeing Zuko again and spending time with him, reminiscing the times we had and understanding what he went through, I felt a sense of relaxation and release whenever I was near him. Maybe this was what I needed to stop suppressing myself? Who knows, but I felt for now, I didn't need to be the stiff as a board noblewoman that I had been all my life. Letting our natural feelings guide the way, our lips soon found their way to each other, and drank in the kiss to the fullest.

________________________________________

"Aren't you cold?" I asked, approaching the lone figure standing at the bow of our ship. It was a cloudless summer night, with the full moon being the only source of light illuminating the world. Even though the weather was supposed to get warmer as the year progressed, the night at sea provided a fair bit of ocean breezes, making it just that much chillier as I emerged from the lower decks of the ship.

"I've got a lot on my mind." Zuko responded, his quiet tone almost drowned out by the lapping waves against the boat. I leaned up against the edges, craning my neck and trying to see his face. Even as Azula and Ty Lee boarded this ship yesterday, Zuko was still hesitant, going with us almost involuntarily. As I continued to make sense of this new nervous side of Zuko, he merely stated, "It's been so long, over three years since I was home. I wonder what has changed, and I wonder how I've changed."

I couldn't help but yawn, my fatigue getting the better of me. While I was quite concerned with Zuko, I couldn't help but take a dig at him. "I just asked if you were cold, I didn't ask for your whole life story," I joked, trying to add some humour amidst the cool surroundings. Being with Zuko really got my happier and funnier side going, like it had been released from a ten-plus-year jail sentence thanks to my upbringing.

Still, Zuko kept his head turned away from me, and that only made me want to get even closer to him. Ever since the "date" at Ba Sing Se, I had made it my mission to get Zuko back to his old self, the one that I met all those years ago. If there was one thing the scrawny little boy had in common with this tall and muscular young man was the hesitant expressions on his face. Back then, Zuko had Lady Ursa to turn to, but today he was the one and only Fire Prince and heir to the Fire Nation throne. There must be a way to get him to relax a bit, right? Grabbing his face, I tilted it towards me and told him, "Stop worrying!" And with that, I planted my lips onto his, my body warming up immediately.

As I pulled back, I could see the muscles on his face relaxing a bit. It was still somewhat difficult to gauge his entire expression given the relative darkness, but I knew whatever I did had taken effect. Feeling the chill get through my clothing, I decided to leave the deck for the moment. As I pulled the hatch to the interior open, I turned back and told Zuko, "Give it a few days, and you'll be fine. Once you meet up with the Fire Lord again, I'm sure everything will be okay."

And indeed, everything was getting brighter for us. Zuko met with Fire Lord Ozai shortly after our return, and while I wasn't in the throne room for their private meeting, the gossip was all over the palace. From the servants to the guards, to even those nobles living near the palace, the word was that the Fire Lord could not stop singing praises to his son, claiming Zuko redeemed himself by staying loyal to the Fire Nation and slaying the Avatar. The latter piece of information was completely new to me, as Azula never truly explained the battle in the Ba Sing Se catacombs. Until now, all I heard was that she and Zuko cornered the Avatar, and they both took part in beating him. But it was Zuko who dealt the final blow? Now that was all news to me.

That was where things stood right now, with me getting more chipper and giddy as the days passed. The fact that the Fire Lord wanted my parents to continue governing New Ozai, formerly known as Omashu, meant I had the house all to myself. He certainly seemed receptive enough to the idea of visiting me often, opting to spend the first day after his restoration with me. As we enjoyed our picnic on top of a nearby hill and just enjoying the sunset, I couldn't help but lean into his arms. Despite the extremely boring act of watching the big fireball dip into the horizon, I had to admit that I actually liked having Zuko around. "Orange is such an awful colour," I commented.

Upon hearing that, Zuko snickered. Even with my supposedly more positive and cheerful outlook, it was hard to drop my usually monotone life. To be honest with myself, I was actually a little afraid to let my feelings run too wild yet. It wasn't because of the old reason, where I had to consider my father's political career; rather, it was because I didn't know how to act before Zuko. Sure I wanted to be intimate, but what could I do in front of my future Fire Lord? But then again, it didn't seem like Zuko minded what I had to say. "You're so beautiful when you hate the world," he replied, grinning like an idiot.

I tried suppressing a laugh, as Zuko certainly got that point straight. While it did not represent the true me, my monotone side was an important part of how I grew up. And as I thought about it, maybe Zuko was trying to get me to let go of this side, given that we were together now. In a way, this was as much about me helping Zuko as it was me helping myself. "I don't hate you," I responded, tilting my head up at him.

Zuko's grin stretched from ear to ear, the first time he displayed that much happiness all at once. And would anyone have guessed that it was in front of me? "I don't hate you too," he concluded our talk with a firm kiss, linking our lips one more time. My more girlish side ate away at my brain as he showed his affection. Having no one that openly showed their love for me like this, could one blame me for being this excited?

Then, in perfect fashion, the bossy Fire Princess herself showed up and ruined the mood. She originally demanded for a conversation with her brother, and was roundly rejected by Zuko. I wasn't sure if this was true, but I could smell a smidge of defensive manoeuvring from Zuko. It had only been days since we had become a couple, and he was already becoming this protective? Or was there another reason why Zuko was so intent not to have Azula interrupt anything he, or we, did?

But for Azula, ever persistent and forceful, there was another way to get Zuko alone to her. Insisting that Ty Lee needed help with her braids, she told me to go check on my acrobatic friend. Hearing something like that usually meant not to get Azula mad, and I got up without question. I did, however, threw a side death glare at the Fire Princess as I departed, showing her my frustration with this disturbance. I had to admit that my open defiance for Azula like that was pretty brave, considering that Ty Lee and I never attempted anything like this before in our lives.

But for some reason, now that I was with Zuko, I felt bolder than ever before I felt I was more expressive with my distaste for Azula's actions, at least to an extent. After all, if Zuko had to go through all those messy experiences just so he could come home, then the least I could do was defend him. As I marched down the hill, I really hoped that I would get another chance with Zuko, one without the outside interference.

________________________________________

"Zuko, what is wrong with you?" I demanded, flipping my boyfriend around and making him face me. While our relationship had blossomed somewhat, things weren't exactly taking a turn for the better. Ever since Zuko learned that his father requested a private meeting with his top advisors, sending Zuko and Azula on a "forced vacation" to Ember Island with Ty Lee and me, he had been grouchy through and through. So I wasn't too impressed with him giving me a seashell, and he did spill ice cream onto my legs earlier in the day, but that shouldn't make him that volcanic, right?

But I hadn't seen anything yet, as Zuko just threw Ruon-Jian, one of the hosts for this house party, across the room. Ruon-Jian ended up landing on a pot, shattering it completely while Zuko's chest heaved up and down. That was when I decided enough was enough, and it was time to rein him in, Fire Prince or not. We were the guests at this party, and that was no way for guests to behave. Moreover, Ruon-Jian was just talking casually with me. What could possibly bring about such a violent reaction? "Your temper is out of control. You blow up over every little thing, and you're so impatient, hot-headed, and angry!" I ranted, not even caring that every set of eyes in the room were on us.

That only drove Zuko angrier, as he tried turning the tables on me. "Well, at least I feel something, as opposed to you! You have no passion for anything! You're just a big blah!" he yelled, waving his arms dramatically in the air.

But it was that last line that was etched into my mind: you're just a big blah. I had no idea what was in Zuko's mind when he uttered that phrase, but to claim that I had no feelings for anything was going too far. He wanted to see me be expressive? He got it. "It's over, Zuko," I stated, turning my back to him, "We're done." I could hear Chan, our other host, scream in shock over how his family's favourite vase had been broken. But for me, it wasn't my biggest concern right now. Sighing, I headed away from the dining area, opting to get away from the explosive situation.

To nobody's surprise, Chan ejected Zuko from the party, sending the Fire Prince out into the evening air. Maybe it was the right thing to do, as the cooler climate outside might be good for Zuko to flush out his mind. Sensing something might be up, Ty Lee and Azula approached me, deciding that we should speak with Zuko. Azula told Ty Lee and I to wait on the beach while she fetched her brother.

Ty Lee and I plopped ourselves onto a series of logs at a secluded corner of the beach, away from the beach houses. Not a word was spoken between us, with only waves banging against the seashore being heard. Perhaps it was for the best that we were all alone and quiet, as waiting for the royal siblings gave me some time to think. Even if I could attribute what Zuko said to his rage-filled head, it was still unjustified to launch into a violent attack against another person like that. Moreover, his over-protectiveness now made it uncomfortable for me to be with him anymore, as I couldn't do anything with anyone else without him getting all jealous. As if my parents weren't restrictive enough when I was young, now I had to put up with this? What did I look like, some prisoner?

Finally, I could see two shadows coming in from the hills above. Azula and Zuko descended the hillside towards us, and I couldn't help but fume at the male figure. It was one thing to say I didn't express myself often, but it was another to say that I had no feelings for anything. Not only did it imply that I cared for nothing, it also meant that I wouldn't react to any of Zuko's negative actions, so much so that he could run roughshod over me. In cases like this, there was no way I would sit idly and watch him mess around.

I wasted no time voicing my displeasure with Zuko as he placed a hand on my shoulder, asking if I was cold. I slapped his hand away, turning my head so that I didn't have to face him. The only cold here was the cold I displayed to Zuko, as I wanted him to know how much what he said hurt me. Ty Lee, sitting across from me, tried to lighten the mood by requesting a fire. This prompted Zuko to depart again, presumably to get some firewood. To me, it didn't matter, because until Zuko apologized, I wouldn't let this pass.

What were supposed to be firewood became Zuko's old family relics. Apparently, he returned to his family's old beach house and removed all the old items there. As the flames engulfed old paintings and other materials, Ty Lee couldn't help but ask what happened. That turned out to be a bad move, as Zuko unleashed his anger on her. "You don't know me, so why don't you just mind your own business?"  
I winced as Zuko continued berating my friend, claiming that Ty Lee was stuck in her own little world. As the insults got more and more outrageous, I couldn't help but interject. "Zuko, leave her alone," I chimed in, hoping he would calm down.

But then Ty Lee did the unthinkable. Not only did she ditch the ever-optimistic attitude, she hit back at Zuko by claiming that she actually had to go through hardship just to get to her current stage. "I joined the circus because I was scared to spend the rest of my life as a matched set. At least I'm different now. Circus freak is a compliment!" Ty Lee concluded emphatically, glaring daggers into Zuko.  
While I admired Ty Lee's courage for speaking up, it was evident that she did it because she craved attention, not because it was the right thing to do. "Attention issues," I pointed out, my calm and steady voice a total contrast to Ty Lee, "You couldn't get enough attention when you were a kid, so you try to make up for it now."

That seemed to have touched a nerve with Ty Lee, who took swipes at my life as an only child. Given that Tom-Tom was barely a year old, it meant I spent almost fifteen years of my life being the centre of attention for my parents. While Ty Lee ranted about my grey aura, I merely told her I didn't believe in them, since my childhood wasn't the least bit harsh at all. "I was a rich, only child who got anything I wanted, as long as I behaved. I sat still, and didn't speak until spoken to," I reminisced the number of times my parents got me to be perfect, just so I didn't make them look bad before some high-ranking folks who frequented our house. Sure my parents got meticulous, and sure I got annoyed at their every attempt to straighten out even the slightest crook in my posture, but I soon got used to it when my parents rewarded my every effort to conform to their wishes. It wasn't hard to keep emotions bottled in when you got whatever you wanted as a result.

"That's why afraid to care about anything, and why you can't express yourself," Azula concluded for me, arrogance laced throughout her tone.

Those words ended up doing what couldn't be done for the whole night: getting me up in arms. I had no idea what Azula was trying to prove, but it seemed like she was taunting my current state. As if Zuko calling me out and publicly humiliating me was not bad enough, now Azula had to rub it in my face? This was too much. "You want me to express myself? Leave me alone!" I screamed, letting my anger shoot through the night.

It was like the fire increased its power tenfold as I turned my eyes to Zuko, taking it out on him as well. "Don't touch me. I'm still mad at you!" I yelled at Zuko, even when he complimented how much he liked it when I unleashed my emotions more. "There's no excuse for the way you've been acting," I snapped, keeping him at a distance.

That only provided ammunition for Zuko, who went on to describe his tough life. "My father decided to teach me a permanent lesson on my face!" Zuko shouted, pointing at the scar around his left eye. As he paced up and down the beach, his words echoed off the hillside. "I should be happy for returning, but I'm not! I'm angrier than ever and I don't know why!" he ranted, sounding almost confused as he presented his dilemma.

That ended up getting all of us talking, as we tried to figure out why a war hero like him would be so frustrated. Even when we considered the factor of needing time to adjust to life after exile, it was still very unusual to see that much aggravation in a person. "Who are you angry at, Zuko?" I asked, suddenly forgetting any grudge I had against him from the party. Instead, I felt the need to show my caring side, trying to find out just what went wrong with my lifelong friend, who seemed more flustered than ever.

We began listing off name after name, trying to figure out what was wrong with Zuko. The Fire Lord, General Iroh, Azula, everyone close to us was named, but it only drove Zuko crazier. He gripped the sides of his head, shaking it violently as his voice went closer and closer to cracking. That was when I realized Zuko was truly in trouble, and needed my help more than ever. In one last blast, he slammed his fists down. "I'm angry at myself!" he cried to the skies, turning our fire into a pillar of flames.

That ended up burning up all our fuel, turning whatever old relics still inside the pit into ashes. I could see Zuko's silhouette against the night sky, his back hunched over and his head never leaving the ground. He was so pitiful, so helpless, and so lost. "I'm confused. I'm not sure I know the difference between right and wrong anymore," Zuko muttered, his tone sounding like he was close to breaking down in tears.

Finally understanding the situation, I decided to do the right thing. Stepping up to Zuko, I placed a hand on his shoulder. "I know one thing I care about: I care about you," I declared. Maybe I was a bit harsh on Zuko earlier and perhaps my usual monotone and emotionless self did not sit well with Zuko. If I wanted a long-term relationship with him, I ought to understand him more, and tried to help him deal with his problems rather than condemning them. Leaning in, I planted my lips onto his.

It didn't matter that Azula tried to rub it in our faces that she had no sob stories to tell, or that Ty Lee felt Ember Island truly changed us. All that mattered was that Zuko and I were together again, and we would both take steps to rectify the rift between us. But for some strange reason, I noticed Azula growing extra quiet as she told us about how her mother favoured Zuko more than her, and that she was once called a monster. Perhaps it was something in the royal family that wasn't revealed? I made a mental note of this, and I should probably ask Zuko for an elaboration should I get the chance.

But for now, we had a party to crash. Azula suggested that we returned to the very house that we were thrown out of and did some serious work of our own. As we marched up the steps again, with nothing but retribution on our minds, I decided on one thing. I would be more open with my thoughts, and expressed myself more freely. Whether my parents liked it or not, I was almost an adult, and it was only right that I spoke with my own voice. Besides, communicating with Zuko was probably the best way to deal with both our problems, and I wouldn't trade being with him for anything in the world.

________________________________________

"War meeting? What are you talking about?" Zuko demanded, suddenly shooting up from the couch. It had been a couple of weeks since the incident at Ember Island, and Zuko and I had been well on our way to not only patching up, but proceeding with our relationship. He had been visiting me more often, and we'd hang out in my currently empty house, getting whatever we wanted from the servants. Overall, I must say that I really enjoyed my every moment with him, even amidst all the trouble with war plans and such, as evident by the Fire Lord's special meeting tomorrow night.

But that apparently touched a nerve with Zuko, who demanded to know what happened. "Azula mentioned something, so I assumed you were going too," I explained, sensing Zuko's sudden downward spiral in spirits. Seeing Zuko hunched over with his eyes to the ground, I couldn't help but feel a pang in my heart.

The entire room was silent as Zuko mulled his thoughts over. A sudden night breeze whirled through the open window, chilling us considerably. By the time Zuko lifted his head again, his mug was filled with bitterness and resentment. "I guess I wasn't invited," he spat, turning away from me. From that moment on, it became clear to me that no matter what I said, it wasn't going to make a difference to how Zuko felt right now.

As Zuko stormed out in a huff, I was left in my room, silent and alone. It gave me all night to think about what was going on. It was true that Zuko's return to his rightful place as the Fire Prince was an exciting moment for us all, but there was something quite unusual about this move. Until now, Zuko hadn't been invited to any royal meetings held by the Fire Lord, as we were sent on vacation during the last one with the Fire Lord's war advisors. So for Azula to speak to me about some important meeting involving the same group of advisors, it did arouse suspicion. Was the Fire Lord trying to send us all some message regarding Zuko's status? Did he feel that Zuko was still not ready or mature enough to handle these issues, even as his birthright had been regained?

And speaking of Azula, the entire way she went about announcing this news was also questionable. Assuming what Zuko had said was true, that he had no idea there was a meeting taking place tomorrow, then it was logical to conclude Azula had not told him anything. It really made me wonder why Azula would approach me to talk about this, as it was clear to both of us that this meeting was more important to Zuko than anyone else. I knew Azula was one to play mind games to control people, and both Zuko and I had been targets of her attempts before, but to have her toy around with her own brother's emotions was going too far. This was Zuko's chance to redeem himself, so why did she have to make life so difficult for him? Had she just approached Zuko and told him in a direct manner, maybe Zuko wouldn't get this upset and rant about being left out.

By the time Zuko returned to my house, he reported that he did speak with Azula. He confirmed my suspicions that Azula was indeed invited to the meeting, and he demanded to know why he never received an invitation. "She told me that since I was expected to go, it was obvious that I didn't get an invitation," he spat, trying to mimic Azula's usually haughty tone, "In that case, I told her I wouldn't go."

Zuko trudged to the window overlooking the capital city, his face tight and emotionless. Even when he insisted that he didn't regret refusing the meeting, I could tell the decision weighed heavily on his mind. Sensing his distress, I had to try cheering him up. Telling him that it was just a dumb meeting, I suggested that we tried to have fun on our own. "Let's order some servants around. I might be hungry for a whole tray of fruit tarts," I declared, reminding him of the even yesterday when he asked a servant to bring me a fruit tart with rose petals on top, "And maybe a little palanquin ride around town?"

However, nothing would lift Zuko's spirits, as his face was wounded up tight all night. Even as he left for the royal palace again, the uncertain steps into his palanquin pretty much proved his apprehensiveness. I knew that while Zuko chose not to go as an act of defiance to Azula, deep down he really wanted to be there. I could imagine how much he longed for his father's respect as he planned the final invasion of the Earth Kingdom and took it down for the Fire Nation. That way, he would truly be a war hero, and would be revered by all. Azula shouldn't have played that trick on Zuko, I thought.

Checking on the time, I realized that I should probably get to bed. Stepping into my bedroom to change, I thought about the confrontation between Zuko to Azula. It probably wasn't a pretty sight, but I genuinely felt Zuko ought to speak up. The past few days that I had spent with Zuko, I felt I started understanding him better. He wasn't the hot-headed, foul-tempered royal brat that most past gossip portrayed him to be. Rather, I found him quite sensitive, both to others and himself. He was also fairly intelligent, and could be quite witty at times. In my mind, anyone trying to destroy his spirits was merely trying to assert the picture of the negative Zuko for their selfish purposes. Knowing Azula, I doubted this was too far from the truth, given how much she thirsted for power and control. Sighing, I changed into my nightgown and slipped into my bed, trying to take this out of my mind.

Zuko would return to my house the next morning, sulking as usual as he trudged to the upstairs living quarters. But before I could say a word, one of the servants barged in and requested a word with him. "Everyone is waiting for you," he informed us, bowing down to the Fire Prince, "The high admirals, the high generals, the war ministers and the princess have all arrived. You're the only person missing in the meeting. The Fire Lord said he will not start until you arrived, sir," he ended, dropping a bombshell to us.

For a second, the only thing we could do was stand there with our mouths nearly hitting the ground. So Fire Lord Ozai did want Zuko at the meeting after all. Was there any doubt to what Zuko could do for his country? Finally, after an eternity, we beamed at each other, realizing that Zuko's wish had come true. Dismissing the servant, we quickly got Zuko back to the palace, asking the servants to put him in his military uniform. As I waited outside his room, I was overjoyed and excited. There was no better way for Zuko to show the Fire Nation his real mettle by helping us achieve the greatest victory ever. "So that means our day's activities have to be all cancelled," Zuko told me as he stepped up, his sparkly new uniform making him look sharper than ever.

"Don't worry about me," I replied, linking his arm as we hurried to the main conference hall, "I'll keep myself busy. I managed to survive after all those years being bound by my parents, so what makes you think I can't do it?" As we stopped at the last door, I could hear Zuko inhale deeply, probably just to calm his nerves as he prepared for the biggest meeting of his life. "Don't fret about it, okay? I'll be right here waiting for you," I reassured him. Giving him a final kiss, I released his arm and strolled off to a nearby pillar, trying to keep out of the way as Zuko entered the large room.

The hours ticked by slowly and painfully as I sat next to the large pillar, doing nothing more than juggling the many projectiles hidden in my sleeves. It was this type of stewing that allowed me to develop my knife throwing skills, as throughout my younger years my best friend seemed to be walls. But now, I was being bored to tears for another reason: the love of my life. Zuko was in there talking about war strategies, which by the sounds of it was awfully dull already. But if sitting through these dreary times meant he could further his honour, then I was willing to go all the way with him. We promised each other that we would be there for one another, no matter what the circumstances.

After hours of looking at a wall and polishing my blades, the meeting was finally over. Many middle-aged men stepped out from the hall and into a smaller room, most likely to get refreshments. I got up and tried to find Zuko in the crowd, hoping to see through the seasoned war veterans who talked excitedly amongst themselves. After a few minutes of fruitless searching, I finally spotted him exiting the refreshments tent, a very thoughtful look etched onto his face. "So, how did it go?" I asked him.

We marched down the hallway, leaving the older folks behind as Zuko explained the situation inside the room. "When I got to the meeting, everyone welcomed me. My father had saved me a seat, he wanted me next to him," he described in a surprisingly monotonous voice, "I was literally at his right hand."

"Zuko, that's wonderful!" I declared, placing my hands on his arm. Whatever doubt we had last night regarding Zuko's status were erased completely as I continued, "You must be happy!" I tried gauging his face again, which barely moved an inch.

Zuko paused right at the end of the hallway. We looked up together and saw the royal portrait of Fire Lord Ozai, his pose straight and tall as his face proudly gazed over the hall. "During the meeting, I was the perfect prince, the son my father wanted," he stated. But it was what he said after that shocked me the most, "But I was not me."

I glanced over at Zuko, wondering what that could all mean. It was his wish that his father accepted him again, right? So why did it seem like his was still discontent? Did something happen inside that embarrassed him? The generals and admirals were usually tough-as-nails people, so maybe they said something that referred back to his exile, causing Zuko some humiliation. Either way, whatever the event, it left Zuko feeling a bit uncertain. As we stepped back to the living quarters of the palace, I made a mental note of this, deciding once I had the time, I was going to find out what was going on.

________________________________________

"I guess I don't know you," I stated flatly, unrolling a scroll before Zuko. When I heard there was an invasion into the Fire Nation capital city on the day of a solar eclipse, I heeded the emergency evacuation orders and hid in an underground safety bunker, just like most of the city's residents. In the midst of the chaos, I didn't manage to locate Zuko, so for the time I was in that stuffy chamber my mind fretted with worry, wondering if the invasion force could overwhelm him thanks to their sheer numbers.

But by the time I returned to my room, it was evident that Zuko was gone. All that was left was this farewell letter, which I now waved before him. For some reason, he chose to join the Avatar's group, making himself a fugitive again after only a few weeks of regaining his status. It was my uncle, the warden of the maximum security prison, who informed us that Zuko was found here. Given that Azula planned on going to the Boiling Rock to see some of the new war prisoners transferred there, Ty Lee and I were asked to tag along. I made sure to bring Zuko's letter with me, just to flush out his true motives for abandoning me like that. "All I get is a letter? You could have at least looked me in the eye when you ripped out my heart!" I snapped. All those times I had with him, all the promises we made together, even the celebratory mood I had after his first war meeting, all those were thrown out the window as I berated the way he abandoned me.

Zuko tried to explain, but I cut him off. In my mind, I felt there was no rationale for what he did, and I was willing to let him hear it. He opened my heart alright, getting access to the real me that I bottled up inside for so many years. But for him to just ditch me like that was unacceptable. Scanning the letter, I spat his every word back to him. "Dear Mai, I'm sorry that you have to find out this way, but I'm leaving…"

"Stop!" Zuko shouted, his back hunched on the lone chair in the interrogation room. The only source of light was from outside the open door shining only on Zuko, meaning he was front and centre for scrutinizing. "This isn't about you! This is about the Fire Nation!" he insisted, claiming that he did it for the future of our country.

I paused, glaring at the seated figure. His tone might have been strong, but I could still see weakness inside him. His body quivered slightly, his face kept relatively low as he tried not to look my way. Fuming, I tossed the letter at his head. "Thanks, Zuko. That makes me feel all better," I retorted, unimpressed with his answer.

Finally, Zuko had the strength to stand and face me. He got out of the chair and turned around gingerly, like he was afraid I would start launching projectiles at him. "I never wanted to hurt you," he insisted, "But I have to do this to save my country."

"Save it? You're betraying your country!" I replied angrily, appalled at what Zuko was trying to do. While part of me was concerned with staying loyal to the Fire Nation, the other side of me truly feared for Zuko's safety. Was it worth it to join the Avatar's group and be hunted all over the world again? He knew how much I loved him and that I didn't want to lose him, so why did he become this inconsiderate and started going off when he could have stayed with us? Didn't he know that he was breaking my heart even more should anything happen to him all the while I sat helpless at home?

"That's not how I see it," Zuko explained, offering his side of the story. He told me that he felt the Fire Nation based their rule by relying on fear and falsehoods, to the point where individuals were not being respected for who they were. He went on to say that his father was a great example, as all Zuko wanted was for Ozai to love him, only to get challenged to an Agni Kai, suffering a permanent burn. "Being banished was actually a good thing, because it allowed me to truly see the world. And it is with this conviction that I decided to join the Avatar's group," Zuko concluded firmly.

From my position, I could see a complete reversal being pulled. While I was the one ranting at Zuko, making him feel small, now he was speaking with authority and I ended up being a reluctant listener. While my heart wasn't really into Zuko's words, still aching from the way he shattered it, I actually found his message quite intriguing. Was it true that I was merely conforming to ways that disrespected life in general? I knew Ty Lee and I always submitted to Azula, but perhaps that went over our heads, to the point where we didn't realize Azula's actions were hurting everyone overall? Maybe the Fire Nation might be better off if some changes were made, even if Zuko was overdoing it by defecting to the Avatar's side.

But the silence inside that interrogation room was shattered when a guard rushed in. "Madam, there's a riot going on. I'm here to protect you," he announced, pointing at my current position standing right next to a supposedly dangerous prisoner.

I turned around and glared at him, my eyes narrowing in anger. While I wasn't happy with Zuko's actions, there was something about him that made me feel welcome and comfortable, even in his status as a prisoner. So, to claim that whatever prison riot was happening and Zuko's presence would pose a threat to me was ludicrous. "I don't need any protection," I replied sternly, irritated by his words.

That didn't deter the guard, as he entered the room describing how my uncle told him to keep her safe. As I looked on flabbergasted, my eyes were completely off of Zuko. That was why it caught us all off-guard when a blast off fire slammed into our feet, the orange fumes burning at our legs as we hopped back. The guard, ever the imbecile, leapt in front of me, shielding me from moving while Zuko made a beeline for the door. "Get off of me!" I yelled, throwing him to the side and pursuing Zuko.

But I was too late, as Zuko pulled the interrogation room door shut, and locked it from outside. I could only stare through the crack, angry and frustrated, but also fearful and anxious, as I still had strong doubts regarding Zuko's decision and subsequent safety. I could see his pair of golden orbs return my stare, his expression both determined and pained, before he hurried off down the aisle. Given I was left all alone with the guard in this room, I had to find a way out. "Is anybody out there?" I called, banging on the door.

Sensing that there was no one present, probably because they were all busy in the courtyard dealing with the riot, I had to resort to drastic measures. Pulling out a longer and thinner projectile, I tried negotiating it into the lock, hoping to free myself from this dark room. Amidst the shouts from the guard behind me, insisting I be careful with such an elaborate lock, I tried to work with the small blade in the limited light. I was by no means a lock-picking expert, but in my boredom I did manage to find more unique ways of handling sharp objects. If it was to include lock-picking, then so be it.

After a gruelling few minutes of working in the dark and being constantly bombarded by the guard's whines, I finally unlocked the door. The halls of the prison were completely silent, which enabled me to locate the source of the action. It came from the top tower, where the gondola was located. On regular days, the gondola was used to transport prisoners into the Boiling Rock, so it wouldn't put it pass me that Zuko was probably using it to escape. Taking a deep breath, I hustled up the stairs.

And indeed, before me was the scene of the escape, with the gondola heading out of the prison dangling over some boiling water. I pressed myself against a pillar, trying to stay away from the guards, who would undoubtedly shoo me away should they see me. The guards on the platform jammed the machinery, making it so that the gondola could not move while they brought out a huge saw. I could only stare in horror as my uncle's voice boomed across the crevasse, "Cut the line!"

Biting my lip to contain my fear, I tiptoed out from the shade, squinting hard as I could make out several figures standing on top of the gondola. One such figure dressed in dark red straightened up and promptly propelled off, blasting out a jet of blue flames from the feet and landing on the parallel gondola making its way down to the prison. She was followed by a figure in a pink belly shirt, acrobatically leaping across and landing in perfect position. My ability to read body language came in real handy again, as Azula and Ty Lee were polar opposites at the moment. While Azula was her usual confident self, Ty Lee was extremely uncertain, knowing full well that should they leave now, those on the stopped cab, Zuko and my uncle included, would surely fall to their deaths.

Then, a sudden surge of energy shot through my body. I didn't care for the so-called escapees, as I didn't exactly know them well. But a couple of factors kept urging me to block out whatever threats there were and approached the controls. One was the fact that Azula was leaving my uncle to die, even though he was doing his duties to prevent an escape. But the more important one was Zuko, as leaving the love of my life to drown in boiling water was unacceptable to me. Even if Azula saw her brother as a traitor, in my mind she was the bigger traitor of the two. She showed me that she was willing to sacrifice other people's lives just to advance her own agenda. Flipping out a couple of projectiles, I proceeded to hurling them at the guards.

The blades whistled through the air and sliced at each person's clothing, pinning them against the walls and freeing up the machines. I made sure to not hit any major body parts or blood vessels, as to not inflict too much damage. After all, these were people my uncle worked with, and the least I could do was respect their lives, unlike someone else. Amidst their cries, I told them in a clear tone what I intended to do. "Saving the jerk that dumped me," I stated, reaching for the controls and letting the gondola go free.

Knowing that my uncle would be safe, and Zuko would at least get a chance to get off the prison, I turned my blades to the guards, brandishing them ferociously and holding them at bay. I couldn't really see where Zuko's gondola was, but I guessed that they would dock on the other side at any moment now. All I could do for now was giving them time, knowing full well that should I be apprehended, I would probably spend the rest of my life in this prison. Even as my arms and legs ached, my body wobbling from fatigue, the thoughts of Zuko pushed me forward. Zuko had done a lot on this journey to rediscover himself, and I truly believed he had changed completely. Maybe his actions were not acceptable in the current Fire Nation political environment, but his general ideas ought to be commended. Looking back at our history, had any Fire Lord experienced the hardships he did? Had any Fire Lord seen and understood the world the way he did?

My thoughts were jolted to a halt as I felt a huge tackle from my backside. I could feel the blades being ripped from my hands as a rough pair of arms yanked me to my feet. Looking on, I could only grit my teeth as Azula and Ty Lee got off the other gondola and made their way toward me. "I never expected this from you," Azula muttered, her voice laced with poison. She told the guards to leave the area while she dealt with me one-on-one. "Why would you do it? You know the consequences," she demanded.

Taking a deep breath, I brought out all my memories of Zuko to the forefront. It was time to show Azula that respect wasn't bestowed, but earned. Royalty wasn't an adequate alibi for forcing others against their will, and comparing the siblings, Zuko was the one who worked harder to gain such respect. Maybe Azula's mother was right to call Azula a monster, as the way she treated others, both in the past and currently, was nothing short of despicable. "You miscalculated," I told her, my tone expressionless but strong, "I love Zuko more than I fear you."

That got Azula more enraged than anything else, as I finally poked through her years of façade via fear. I was proud of who I was, and proud of who I chose. While it was true that Azula had the privileges, it was Zuko who was truly worthy to become a Fire Lord. And while it was true that I obeyed others all my life, I also realized that when the time came, I must stand up for my beliefs. I always felt that had I stood up to Azula with the same vigour as I did to Zuko at Ember Island, things would probably be different today. As Azula got into her lightning bending stance, I whipped out my last projectile. I only had one shot, and I had to make it count should I want to leave with my body intact.

But before anything could happen, Ty Lee zoomed in and attacked Azula. Her hands were a blur as she jabbed at her various pressure points, blocking Azula's chi and preventing her from bending. I was completely shocked at Ty Lee, never expecting her to take action against Azula. So did that mean Ty Lee agreed with me and decided to take our own path away from Azula? Whatever the case, the thoughts clouding my mind put me in a strange paralysis, not able to move a single muscle even as we were surrounded by guards. Two guards picked up Azula's limp body off of the ground, letting the princess get a good look at us before ordering us to our cells. As they marched us off, I had a sinking feeling in my mind. While I might have done the right thing to give Zuko a chance, I also realized that I might never see him ever again.

________________________________________

"Mai, you're okay!" Zuko exclaimed, his new tunic half-on and half-off as I appeared at his dressing room doorway. I was actually quite nervous when I was told that I could return to the Fire Nation palace to witness Zuko's big day. I didn't know what he would think of me after the Boiling Rock incident. I knew he would probably remember me, as shown by how upset he was to leave me. But given that the entire Fire Nation was in his hands, I couldn't help but imagine that he had many priorities at hand.

But all my worries that swirled in my mind were eased when I made those final steps to his chamber. My wobbling legs became stiffer, my queasy stomach settled, and my shaking hands calmly crossed themselves across my chest. Facing the love of my life, I saw that Zuko had another battle scar to account for, thanks to the series of bandages across his torso. I left my position on the door frame and approached, grabbing a hold of the confounding robe-like tunic. "They let you out of prison?" he asked.

"My uncle pulled some strings, and it doesn't hurt that the new Fire Lord is your boyfriend," I stated, sliding his arm into the remaining sleeve and tying the belt up. When it was announced that Zuko took over as the new Fire Lord, my uncle immediately sent for a messenger asking him for leniency. It was unusual for any high-risk prisoners at the Boiling Rock to be released without the Fire Lord's approval, but I wasn't keen on just having me be released. While I was at it, I decided to convince my uncle to request Zuko to pardon all prisoners of this war, including Ty Lee and the Kyoshi Warriors, who were imprisoned with us. Apparently, Ty Lee had gotten along quite well with them. She even convinced me to get to know them better, which was an eye-opener for me.

"Does this mean you don't hate me anymore?" Zuko asked, his tone between coy and hesitance. When word returned that Zuko would grant our pardons, I immediately thought of ideas that could allow him to work better with the rest of the world, starting with a prisoners of war exchange, where we released Earth Kingdom and Water Tribe natives for Fire Nation nationals captured by them. Given I would probably have a role to play in helping Zuko with world affairs, I felt I should get used to giving him advice.

"I think it means, I actually kind of like you," I responded, swiftly silencing him with a kiss. This time, there would be no interruptions as we truly enjoyed this moment. I didn't have to worry about Azula or anyone else disturbing us, telling us how to think or feel. The palace staff informed me that Zuko bested Azula in an Agni Kai, in which the princess lost her sanity. She was currently locked away in an asylum, after Zuko spared her life. Personally, I had little intention to visit this individual again. Perhaps it was only right that, after so many years of playing mind games, she lost her own mind.

Releasing Zuko, I sternly pointed out that I didn't appreciate him breaking up with me, and warned him to never do it again. Giving him one more hug, I hurried off to the courtyard below, finding the best position possible to witness Zuko's coronation. I managed to catch up with Ty Lee, who was in full Kyoshi Warrior uniform. She was back to her chipper, positive self, which was I sight that I never thought I would miss seeing. Perhaps this type of attitude was something we all needed at the moment, as it was a new start for us all. Hopefully, the other nations could feed off of this and help us all make this world a better place to live, for now and eternity.

A gong sounded off, echoing throughout this crowd of Fire Nation, Water Tribe, and Earth Kingdom individuals, signalling the arrival of the Avatar and the new Fire Lord. I looked on as Zuko addressed the crowd, standing proud and tall as the new head of state. I couldn't help but feel that so much had happened throughout the years since I first met him. No longer was he the scrawny little kid that clung to his mother; now he was a true leader, one who had seen the world, experienced the same hardships most ordinary folk had, and could apply this knowledge to the Fire Nation. I was beaming with admiration and pride as I watched Zuko address the crowd. "The real hero is the Avatar!" he introduced Aang, in a traditional Air Nomad gown, onto the front steps with him.

After a boisterous round of applause, Zuko officially declared the war over. "I promised my uncle that I would restore the honour of the Fire Nation, and I will. The road ahead of us is challenging, as a hundred years of fighting has left the world scarred and divided," Zuko proclaimed, scanning the crowd who listened on intently. He then tilted his head to Aang, who glanced back eagerly, "But with the Avatar's help, we can get it back on the right path, and begin a new era of love, peace, and hope."

With that, Zuko got to his knees, letting the head Fire Sage place the royal head piece onto his head. He was now officially Fire Lord Zuko, and I couldn't be happier. I went through so much just to witness this day. Getting dunked into a fountain, riding through thick woods on Basilisk lizards, wallowing through wall sludge juice, getting thrown in a high-security prison, you named it. This was truly the beginning of a new age, and I swore to do my part to help Zuko. As he marched down the steps, heading in my direction, I couldn't help by embrace him again. "I am so proud of you, Zuko," I managed to eke out through my emotions.

Zuko merely nodded, and insisted that we talked at the group reunion at Ba Sing Se later on that week. General Iroh managed to reopen his tea shop, and had invited us for a reunion after the war. He told us that the Earth King Kuei, who I had a hand in ousting, would return to his throne, and was willing to discuss the prisoner exchange with Zuko. King Bumi of the semi-autonomous Earth Kingdom region of Omashu, and a close friend of Iroh's, was also invited to the talks. From what I heard the exchange would include my parents and Tom-Tom, who were currently held by Bumi at Omashu. To regain so much in a span of a few days, I was overjoyed, and became more determined to keep our good fortunes. After years of grey, things were finally becoming brighter.

And that was where I found myself, sitting in Iroh's tea shop and getting into an intense chess match with Suki, Ty Lee's new leader. Sokka, the male Water Tribe warrior I ran across so many times, was busy doing a painting of us, while Zuko was serving us his uncle's famous tea. Never in my life did I imagine me intermingling with these folks from the other nations. Throughout my life, I was taught that they were weak and inferior to the Fire Nation. But now that I experienced them firsthand, I found they weren't bad people at all. And seeing Zuko out here, relaxing even as he was about to make the first meeting between a Fire Lord and an Earth King in over a century, it only made me realize how important this moment was, and how precious life was in general. No longer would I bottle my thoughts up inside, nor would I belittle anyone's thoughts with nonchalance. If Zuko could make changes to the world, then so could I, and I would help him every step of the way. As I enjoyed the laughter of this new group of friends, I thought to myself:

My name is Mai. That was my story. Those were my rites of passage.


	11. Gyatso

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Each character grows up with a set of experiences unique to themselves. Watch each person describe what went through their minds and how they changed as they reacted to the world. These are their stories, these are their rites of passage.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: Michael DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko own Avatar.

A huge crowd gathered at the entrance to the Southern Air Temple, looking to the sky for a small spot weaving in and out of the mountains. I was among the air benders gathered here, waiting to see our visitor from a faraway land. Like most air temples, the Southern Air Temple was located in an isolated mountain range at the edge of the world. For our case, it was the Patola Mountain Range. The only way to reach it was by flying, and this was possible by all the monks here with our Sky Bison. But now, knowing there was another flight being made into the temple, I couldn't help but stare into the skies.

"Look! It's crossing the last peaks, and coming straight in!" someone yelled, pointing to the scarf-like clouds draped over the mountaintops. A few days ago, a messenger hawk delivered a letter from the Fire Sages, the religious authority in the Fire Nation, to their Air Nomad counterparts, the Council of Elders. They were informing us that a special individual would be joining us for air bending training. Since the religious figures of each respective nation served the interests of the world, they weren't entirely bound by their citizenship. It wasn't unusual to see our Council of Elders cooperate with Fire Sages or the Earth Clerics. And it definitely wasn't surprising to see our elders here, welcoming the most important figure in the entire world. "He's landing anytime now."

Before long, the dark dot became more apparent, as the serpent-like form of a large dragon snaked its way across the sky. I could only watch in wonder and awe as this beautiful creature raced its way toward us. It was so different than our method of flying: the Sky Bison. Unlike the lumbering movements of a bison, the dragon was so gracious and effortless, almost like it was meant to be in the sky more than air benders. I squinted hard, trying to block out the sun as my eyes focused in on the rider. Despite the fact that he was just a silhouette, I could make out a tall and lean figure, with flowing robes and an unusual looking head piece. Air Nomads were known to have their heads shaved, so it was uncommon for me to see head gear of any sort, let alone those from the Fire Nation.

Finally, the Council of Elders exited the temple. The five elderly monks that we revered marched slowly to the centre of the hallway. Immediately, some of the older monks signalled to the younger ones to stand to the side, creating an open area for the dragon to land. I was pressed into several other young air benders around me, making it difficult to see beyond the sea of bald heads and yellow and orange tunics. The five elders did an ancient spiritual welcoming ritual, saluting the human incarnation of the spirit of the world. "It is our honour to welcome the next Avatar: Roku of the Fire Nation!" they announced proudly, each bowing as the dragon made its final approach.

As we all observed the amazing scene before us, the sleek creature slid to a perfect halt before the monks. Most of us stared on in wonder and awe at the rider, who finally dismounted and stepped onto the stone ground. I got a good look at him, and realized that he was only a teenager, barely older than me. He stood straight and tall, making his lean frame even leaner as he surveyed the scene with calm but curious gold eyes. Despite his attempt to remain collected and dignified, I could tell that he was really nervous. I guessed that being from the Fire Nation he was used to warm weather, so a cold climate like this was uncomfortable for him. This only added to his uncertainty, as his body trembled with every tilt of his head.

Finally, our Council of Elders got to their feet to officially welcome the visitor. Each one approached the Avatar and gave their introduction, and showed him around the place. We followed him closely, almost hesitant to approach this all-powerful figure. From my angle, Roku tried to fit in, bowing and nodding at each elder around him, who offered to make his life more comfortable here. But I could tell that the more they tried, the more uncomfortable he became. He frequently adjusted his collar, and his hands were grabbing and squeezing various parts of his dark red tunic. Trying to sort through the chatter around me, I squeezed past several people to move closer to the Avatar.

But I didn't get a chance to speak to him at all. The elders insisted that Roku must be tired after a long trip, and shuffled him off to his new chamber. There wasn't much left to see as the older monks shooed most of the younger ones away, either back into the temple or to other exterior areas for training or other exercises. "That wasn't too exciting," I commented, trudging inside while pursing my lips in an out-of-character way.

I was known as the joker and the prankster among the young air benders, mainly because very little could get me down. But this was one of the exceptions, as I wasn't too impressed that the Avatar stayed out here for barely a minute, and didn't even bother to greet us when he arrived. It was partially understandable due the elders looking out for Roku's needs, given his journey and him being in a new environment. But still, it might be more useful had he been allowed to intermingle with the rest of us, which would give him more exposure to the air element. "Besides, we're supposed to be relaxed and free, so why did we become more rigid than the Avatar's home in the Fire Nation?" I openly questioned, comparing our carefree lifestyle to the strict rules of the Fire Nation.

I slowly marched back to the wing of the temple where my chamber was located. The living quarters were located at the lower parts of the temple, which was actually part of the bedrock of the mountain. This was to prevent the elements from getting in, and yet still had a way for us to reach the exterior, should any monk want to take a morning stroll or do some meditation. Bonding with nature was a big part of an air bender's life, and the older monks always taught us that respecting nature was a deep part of being an air bender. All life was sacred, and one must find the significance in every little living thing in order to bond with the world. Compared to many others, I was still quite young, so I had a long way to go before reaching full spirituality. Once that was done, I could do more advanced air bending techniques, and be recognized as an air bending master. The elders would then give me my tattoos, and I could openly wear the fruits of my labour.

Suddenly, I could hear the voices of the Council of Elders behind me as they entered the living quarters. My eyes were wide open as Avatar Roku marched in with them, nodding to their every detail as they completed the tour of the more important areas of the temple. He still had a bag in his hand, supposedly containing whatever essentials he was allowed to bring with him. "And this is where you'll be staying," they concluded, showing Roku the line of rooms before him. I could feel my jaw drop to the ground as an all-powerful Avatar was about to become my neighbour. How amazing was that?

Before long, the monks arrived at the right room, showing Roku where he would be staying for the next little while. I could only look on quietly, hoping the monks would go away soon so I could get a chance to speak with Roku. I knew that sooner or later, he would appear with us in the temple grounds, but I really wanted some one-on-one time with him just to understand what he was like. Personally, I saw the Avatar as a person who had to live the experience of walking in another person's shoes. Since I never had the chance to learn another element, it was a good way to bond with him.

After what seemed like an eternity, the elders finally left the room. They were on their way back to the main hall, leaving the living quarters unwatched, and giving me a chance to approach the Avatar's room. Pressing my back against the wall, I tilted my head and peeked into Roku's room. The dimness of the interior meant I could only see parts of Roku's face, but I could tell he was still hesitant. He was on his bed, his head slightly dipped over, as if in deep thought. His only package was lying on the ground, still untouched as Roku was almost in meditation. Taking a deep breath, I stepped into the doorframe and gave it a couple of knocks. "Excuse me, Avatar?" I greeted him.

That seemed to have knocked Roku out of his trance. His head snapped up, shooting his golden eyes straight at the door and right at me. "I'm sorry, I didn't notice you were there," he stuttered, struggling off his bed, "Do you live in this part of the temple?"

"Yeah, I do!" I responded enthusiastically. This was the perfect time to engage Roku in living with the Air Nomads. I could get to know him personally, away from the public spotlight where he might feel alien to our culture. "It's so great to meet you! My room's down the hall, so we'll see each other a lot, Avatar Roku!"

Roku struggled to smile, but from that twitch on his shoulder I could tell he was a bit nervous. "I actually don't feel comfortable being addressed like that," he told me in a sheepish voice, "Can you just call me Roku instead? I mean, if you insist on formality, it's fine to call me Avatar Roku, but I really prefer it if you dropped the title."

Now it was my turn to be surprised, as I never expected the Avatar to be that informal. I knew he was scared when entering the temple and during the tour, but at no point in time did I expect the Avatar to remove his title when being addressed. In fact, when the monks instructed us earlier, they told us that the Avatar was a person that was to be treated with utmost respect. "Roku," I gently stated, letting each syllable slide off my tongue, "I could call you that, I guess. It just seems weird, that's all."

Roku relaxed, his tense face giving way to a wide beam that spread to his cheeks. "I just don't like the way everyone treats me like I'm extra special, that's all. Even with my duties, deep down I'm no different than you guys," he stated, "How do I address you?"

I smiled back at the fire bender, realizing that for the first time since his arrival, Roku was truly at ease with his surroundings. "My name is Gyatso," I replied. With that, we stood across from each other and bowed in our respective ways. We might have many different customs, but our path of understanding each other began today.

________________________________________

"So if everybody is ready, then follow me!" My air bending instructor, a cheerful monk with an undying sense of adventure announced. I had to admit that he was a great instructor, as he had the same attitude I had towards life in general. Live every minute and enjoy every moment to its fullest. So for him to teach me the basics of air bending, it was always a blast. That being said, he didn't hesitate in getting strict if he had to, pointing out all errors and demanding us to fix them when he saw them.

Still, the relaxed atmosphere was nice, especially when I consider the fact that we had a new student join our class. Standing right next to me, in his brand new Air Nomad clothes, was the Avatar himself. Roku got started on his air bending training the day after his arrival. The monks told me despite the differences in bending style and philosophy, Roku finally understood and mastered the basic techniques and adopting the mindset of an air bender. Now, approximately a month after his arrival, Roku had been placed into an air glider class, and was assigned to be my partner when we took flight.

I took a side glance at Roku as we flipped open our gliders. I had to admit that we bonded quite well, becoming fast friends and even doing a lot of air bending practice together. Roku's words from the first day really resonated in my mind, as he was nothing more than a normal guy. Seeing him around my friends, enjoying life in the Air Temple and letting go of many of his preconceptions and truly understanding what it was like to be an Air Nomad, I felt Roku had really immersed himself into our culture.

Lining up at the edge, we prepared to take off, leaping from the cliff-like walls and sailing into the skies. Not only had Roku been respectful of our culture, he also had an insatiable appetite for striving to be the best, always challenging himself to be more proficient in manipulating the element. It provided quite a lot of friendly rivalry within my circle of friends, but especially with me, due to how close we had become. It was really refreshing to see how Roku would take the simplest techniques and challenged us to practice it with him, only to turn it into an all-out competition. Feeling the air around me as we floated in the sky, I could only wonder what Roku would come up with next.

Whatever trick he had in mind was revealed as Roku called to me. "Hey Gyatso, you want to see a new glider trick?" And immediately, he pulled his glider back, going high into the air before making two widely-arced back flips. As I tilted my head back, I could see a huge grin plastered on his face as he returned to level flying position.

But I wasn't about to be outdone, determined to one-up the Avatar with whatever trick he pulled. This friendly rivalry was only inspiring me to come up with even more advanced air bending techniques, to the point where I could pass my final exam of mastering thirty-six skills and earned my tattoos. There was one that I had been thinking about ever since I was told I would get glider lessons, but it had never been tried before. Since I was the type that didn't follow convention, I decided to let Roku see what this was all about. "Check this out," I replied, shouting over my shoulder.

Taking a deep breath, I flipped the glider around, turning my body to face the sun instead of hanging from below it. And in one smooth motion, I turned my body from a laid-back position to a standing one, balancing on the teetering glider while steering with my feet. This new trick, which I decided to dub "air surfing," wasn't the easiest thing for me. No one had even thought of manoeuvring a glider with their legs before. Even with my adventurous side on full blast, my heart pounded nonstop as I tried to negotiate the glider through the winds of these high altitudes. My friends would know that once my risk-taking side took over, there was no going back.

But the weather was not cooperating as a large gust of wind blew me off balance. My face numbed as my feet struggled to gain balance of the glider. But it was of no use as I slowly felt the staff loosen from my feet and drop into the cliff below. Suddenly, freefall became my new concern as I realized there was nothing stopping me from falling to my doom. As my arms and legs flailed about, I felt my fall being abruptly cut off as a glider zipped under me, causing me to plop onto the top frame. With my heart still doing hard taps against my sternum, I glanced down to see Roku gritting his teeth, trying to steer this now overweight and unbalanced glider.

Sensing the dangerous situation, I instantly laid flat on the top staff, making myself as streamline as possible. Our instructor told us before that flight was based on how air flowed past the glider, and anything that obstructed such flow might cause a crash. But even as I tried to prevent resistance, I could sense Roku fighting a losing battle. The glider dipped and tilted dangerously before tumbling down, spiralling out of control and quickly losing altitude. The opposite wall of the Air Temple, with its thin ledge as our landing point, suddenly grew larger and larger as we screamed in fear.

The mad ride through the air finally came to an abrupt end as we slammed into the ground, right into a group of air bending students. Our instructor had taken the class onto the ground by now, and was about to give a briefing when he saw us rumble in. He didn't even have enough time to holler out or shoo the other monks out of the way when Roku and I sliced our way through them. What should have been injuries for two became injuries for many as the other kids ended up hitting the ground as we crash-landed, with many suffering cuts and bruises as we collided with them. I couldn't see exactly how or where they were hurt, but I could honestly say Roku and I weren't in the best shape.

By the time we picked ourselves off the ground, we could finally assess our injuries. There were several cuts on our clothes, and various parts of our bodies ached. I glanced over to Roku, who had trouble lifting his head, his neck so tight that tendons could be seen bulging. I guessed he probably pulled a muscle there, therefore placing him in a situation where he couldn't look up. His long hair draped down from his head, and I couldn't help but shoot another gentle breeze at him, blowing out the dark strands and getting a good look at him. "Are you alright?" I whispered.

Roku finally turned over. Despite the crash, he managed to eke out a smile, knowing that our rivalry had taken itself to a whole new level. We placed a hand on each other's shoulders, like congratulating each other on not only pulling off, but surviving a dangerous move like that. I guessed our teacher was probably going to march up to us, demanding to know why we did something that crazy. But to us, this was our friendship, and this was the way we bonded. For me, even a hundred crashes couldn't take that away.

________________________________________

"How do you know it's me?" Aang asked as he faced us nervously. It seemed like a case of déjà vu as the Council of Elders summoned Aang into our usual meeting room, the serene environment masking the seriousness of the situation. Per the agreement by the Council of Elders, we would bypass the custom of revealing the Avatar's identity at his or her sixteenth birthday, instead doing so right after Aang had mastered the air element.

And here was Aang, now twelve years old and one of the youngest air bending masters ever, seated before us as we revealed his identity to him. Comparing to those years back, Aang had grown a lot. While he still had that playfulness and curiosity in him, I also saw many traits that he gained throughout the years. Other than becoming taller and more muscular, Aang was more observant, taking things from the elements and absorbing this new knowledge. Also, Aang had a touch of creativity within him, always striving to experiment with new things. In fact, when we tested him on the thirty-six air bending techniques, he actually created one of his own called the air scooter. This new trick, which involved sitting on a ball of spinning air and using it to manoeuvre, was so amazing that most of the air bending instructors were astounded by its ingenuity. Even as I approached him earlier to request his presence, he was excitedly teaching this skill to other youngsters. It was truly a sight to admire.

"Do you remember these?" Tashi, in his spot to the left of Pasang, lifted a package into the air. Using an air thrust, he blew the parcel in Aang's direction, letting my favourite student take a good look at the items inside. As Aang marvelled over his favourite toys, Tashi continued, "You chose them from among thousands of toys, Aang. The toys you picked were the four Avatar relics," he pointed out.

As Aang giddily handled the Air Nomad fan, I decided to explain to him why we had to do this. Although I still had reservations regarding telling Aang of his identity this early, I slowly became more convinced that it might be alright to start letting go. Aang had, in my mind, a similar outlook towards life and bending to me, always willing to take risks and try something different. These traits were quite important for an Avatar, as a willingness to have an open mind and trying new things would be crucial in learning new elements quickly. Nevertheless, I described our procedure to him. "There are troubling signs. Storm clouds are gathering," I referred to the coming war with the Fire Nation, "we need you, Aang." I emphasized, realizing that our survival depended on this boy.

Aang's expression went from jubilance to hesitance. A confused look etched onto Aang's face as he chewed over the words. It was truly a big task, as a mountain of duties just buried the usually carefree youngster. I could somewhat understand his situation, as he wasn't used to having such a responsibility being thrown at him. Most air benders had attitudes that let us avoid problems before they began, similar to our bending style where the wind avoided direct attacks. Due to this, I had reservations letting Aang face a fierce foe that directly with little experience with the world's more serious affairs. Thinking of his needs, I hoped to raise the issue of how fast we should go about having him master all four elements. Could we slow it down and observe Aang's growth more carefully first?

Whatever ideas I had regarding that were cut short as Pasang spoke again. "The current situation makes it difficult for us to locate any bending instructors from the other nations, particularly the Fire Nation. But if we go according to the Avatar Cycle, the next element is water, and that means we must contact the Water Tribes immediately to see if any of their instructors are willing to accept Aang." Pasang turned to the other elders and told us that until a water bender was willing to meet with Aang, we must keep training Aang on air bending, in hopes that he could become even stronger.

By then, every opportunity I had to speak for Aang's needs disappeared. The other monks dismissed my student and headed out of the chambers themselves. Nothing seemed to be stopping them from proceeding with their plan, with Aang's constant air bending training being the only thing their minds. I couldn't help but sigh, wondering what messes they would create. After all, I was friend with the last Avatar, and I wasn't too pleased that he died prematurely under such mysterious circumstances. Seeing Aang, Roku's reincarnation, being forced to grow up quicker than anticipated, it caused me to have many mixed feelings. I knew the only way I could show him I cared was to free him, letting him explore the world on his own.

But still, even with that in mind, I felt the others really did go too far, as they never truly considered Aang's best interests at heart. Had anyone of them approached Aang and asked him how he felt? They all saw only the needs of the world, but had any of them placed themselves in Aang's shoes? While the war was one consideration, there were other factors regarding the Avatar's growth that ought to be included as well. I told the others before that an Avatar's full maturation was to involve an appreciation of the world, but could Aang truly do it in this state, with that much confusion and a relatively young mindset? Even as a fairly mature sixteen-year-old, Roku told me he had doubts about his abilities, and wondered why it had to be him. So how would Aang feel, going into this as a twelve-year-old?

Either way, I was going to fight for Aang's needs. I wasn't about to let the others run roughshod over him, and disregarded his personal growth. Even though I realized I had to let go sometime soon, I was going to battle on until the time came. I had always been the defiant one, always going against the flow, and it was time that my famous rebel attitude returned. If it wasn't for me, then it had to be for the one I loved the most.

________________________________________

"This whole Avatar thing, maybe the monks made a mistake," Aang sighed, his body twisting and turning in impossible angles as he sat on the ledge looking down at the courtyard. It had only been days since we announced it to him, and already Aang was in considerable discomfort, concerned over its consequences. Earlier in the day, Aang met up with the rest of his friends again, opting to play a game using his new Air Scooter technique. But he was roundly turned down by the other children, who claimed that he had an unfair advantage being the Avatar. Rejected and alone, he hoped to find some company in pretty much the only person who still treated him normally.

And that was where we found ourselves, away from the rest of the air benders and baking some cakes using my special techniques. Even with my attention on the oven more than on Aang, I could tell the significant change in him. Instead of his usual bouncy and cheerful self, Aang sat with a hunched back, his head near his knees as his hands were clasped before his shins. Nevertheless, there wasn't much we could do about it for now. The Council of Elders had made their decision, and all I could do was to make life as comfortable for Aang as possible. "The only mistake they made was telling you before you turned sixteen," I explained, "But we can't concern ourselves with what was, we must act on what is." With that, I waved at the scene before us.

Indeed, the beautiful surroundings reminded us of why we were here, and what we could appreciate while we were still alive. The Sky Bison hovering around us, the magnificent towers of the Air Temple, the sounds of young air benders playing, and the smells of nature all around. Perhaps by reminding Aang that it was because he was the Avatar that he must be tied to air bending, it would lift his spirits. In my mind, it was possible for an Avatar to serve the world while connecting with his roots, and I sure hoped Aang would do that should he begin his journey.

But it didn't succeed, as Aang continued to doubt himself. "But Gyatso, how do I know if I'm ready for this?" he asked, still reluctant to accept the revelations.

"Your questions will be answered when you're old enough to enter the Air Temple Sanctuary. Inside, you will meet someone who will guide you on your journey," I responded, trying again to ease his nerves. The Air Temple Sanctuary was one area where all Avatars of Air Nomad descent must enter whenever they reached maturity. It was an Avatar's responsibility to connect with the Spirit World, where the spirits of Avatars past were located. Realizing that Aang must go through that process one day, I could only imagine the questions he would have when he encountered Roku.

That seemed to have lifted Aang's spirits a little, as he seemed eager to learn more of his special identity. Sensing an opportunity to make him happy again, I turned to him with a mischievous smirk. "Now, are you going to help me with these cakes?" I asked.

That got Aang smiling as well, as he lifted himself off the rails and stood next to me. This was one of our more unusual methods in practicing air bending, but it was a great exercise in testing both strength and accuracy. Given that we had to hit a series of targets located in a small area far away from us, it would be a difficult test for most other air benders. But for Aang and me, it wouldn't even be an issue. Getting into position, we counted to three, creating a ball of air each and hurling it at the railing.

Like we had done it every day of our lives, our air balls threw the cakes I baked into the air, sending them across the skies and to the temple's lower levels. We leaned over the rails, following the cakes in the air as neither dough nor icing fell off from the bases. As they made their descent onto the meditation area below, I could make out the bodies of the other four members of the Council of Elders, all of whom gathered under the large trees meditating together. While meditation was an important exercise for all air benders, and I certainly encouraged it with Aang as well, I couldn't figure out why the elders, despite all their wisdom, chose the same gathering spot every single time. There was no challenge to this trick anymore, as they just made themselves too easy a target for Aang and I to hit. "It's going to drop on them," Aang anticipated excitedly.

And just to our expectations, the cakes landed perfectly on the targets, with one slamming onto each elder's head. Icing and dough dripped onto their robes, causing their moans of disgust to echo off the temple's walls. The comical situation was accentuated when lemurs that called our temple home flocked to them, climbing all over the foursome and licking the food off their clothing. From our position at the top, we couldn't stop laughing. "We did it again, Gyatso!" Aang declared, laughing for the first time in days.

Aang turned back to face me, the biggest smile on his face as he bowed down low. "Your aim has improved greatly, my young pupil," I complimented him, giving him a pat on the head. Deep down, I knew that these were the moments I would miss the most should Aang be sent away. And knowing Aang, he was probably more focused on these things rather than training. Perhaps there was still time to get him more prepared for the dangers in the journey ahead? Either way, Aang still required the guidance of those close to him, and I was willing to offer that for as long as he wished.

________________________________________

"Aang ought to have freedom and fun. He must grow up as a normal boy." I stated my case before Pasang. I thought things were returning to normal, with Aang still getting frequent training in air bending, but balanced well with leisure, the latter of the two being offered mainly by me. It seemed like a good way to keep a level of normality for Aang as I constantly communicated with the other monks, hoping there was some news on training Aang on other bending techniques. Should there be anything new, I would inform Aang to make whatever change proceed as smoothly as possible.

Apparently, that touched a nerve with some of the other elders, especially Tashi, the so-called grumpy one. Even when we first confirmed Aang's identity, he was for a quicker transition of training methods, insisting that we moved Aang to water bending as soon as possible. When I was playing a game of Pai Sho with Aang earlier, he disturbed our match by insisting that we should be training even more vigorously. While his goal was understood, I made sure Tashi knew that as long as I was in charge of Aang, I would decide when he trained and when he got his butt kicked at Pai Sho. Tashi then left in a huff, but nowhere in my mind did I expect him to approach Pasang with this issue.

"You cannot keep protecting Aang from his destiny," Tashi's smug tone sliced through the air, bringing me back to the current situation. Pasang was eyeing both of us with a concerned face, probably thinking of a compromise again as Tashi needled me repeatedly. Somehow, despite the calm appearance, Pasang realized how firm Tashi and I held onto our positions, and that left him very little room to compromise.

After an agonizing few seconds, which stretched into an eternity when considered with the complete silence in our chamber, Pasang finally caved in. "Gyatso, I know you mean well, but you are letting your affection for the boy cloud your judgment," he stated. With that remark, I knew that Pasang was about to side with Tashi.

But knowing Pasang's understanding nature and willingness to compromise, I had to keep pushing my point. Whenever there was an important issue to discuss, I had found Pasang was always willing to entertain another opinion, sometimes incorporating the new ideas into his conclusion. Perhaps he was willing to listen once more? "All I want is what is best for him," I firmly responded, hoping Pasang would understand Aang's needs.

Whatever hope I had left faded as Pasang responded by claiming that we must do what was best for the world. My shoulders sagged as Pasang dipped his head, a new thought process slowly emerging as he described his idea. It would be the biggest blow to my career not just as an air bender, but as a person. "You and Aang must be separated," Pasang ordered, "The Avatar will be sent away to the Eastern Air Temple to complete his training. My decision on this is final."

My mouth dropped involuntarily, my face frozen as Pasang's words slammed into me like a hurricane. Not in a million years had I imagined my idea of meeting Aang's needs be so roundly rejected. It wasn't as if he merely told me it was a secondary concern. Instead, Pasang basically decided that Aang's needs were a distraction to his Avatar training, and even insisted that I removed myself from the picture. How could he do this? After all the years in which we knew each other, Pasang had to realize that I was doing it with Aang's best interests at heart, right? What possible justification did Pasang have to send Aang away, even though it would deprive him of friendship and love, the two things he needed the most for his growth? I wasn't discounting the coming conflict with the Fire Nation, but did Pasang believe forcing a twelve-year-old into the fray was the best solution?

Nonetheless, I realized that in this battle, I was about to go it alone. Bowing to Pasang, I excused myself from the chamber. As I marched through the hallways of the temple, I mulled over my entire life experience, not only with Aang, but also with the Avatar. Roku, Aang's predecessor, grew a close bond with me mainly because I was the first person to address him as a normal being. I recalled how uncomfortable Roku was with the new-found fame, and how he longed for his normal life at home in the Fire Nation. It took a lot of coaxing and encouragement in order to get Roku to start making progress on air bending, and even then most of his peers treated him as a living deity. I was one of a few air benders who truly saw Roku for who he was, and by appealing to his non-Avatar side, we managed to bring out the best in each other.

And with Aang, I saw a similar situation. Aang strove to be normal in a world where the Avatar was needed more than ever. Aang was already rejected by his peers, almost in a fearful way, when his identity was announced. Already without friends, it would be an even bigger shock for him should he be isolated from all those that he knew and loved. If Roku had difficulty handling it at age sixteen, think about how hard it was for Aang at age twelve! It was not fair for Aang to be shoved into the world like this, especially when his knowledge of other cultures was so limited. And being his guardian, it wasn't right for me to just stay put and do nothing, even if he was the Avatar and would have to face the challenges of the world anyway. My job was to make this journey as meaningful as possible, and in my mind, it was not realistic to rush Aang through.

Stopping in the middle of the hall, I stood with a straight back and lifted an arm to chest level. "I won't let them take Aang away from me," I decided, clenching my hand into a fist. Even if the odds were against me, I was going to fight this decision to the end. The Avatar had to save the world, but there was no way he could do it in this current state and mindset. And if the Avatar needed saving, then I was willing to be his hero.

________________________________________

"We have to prepare immediately. This huge Fire Nation armada is out at the bay, and they're attacking any day now!" our search team lead exclaimed as the elders around me fell into a state of panic. It had been days since Pasang decided on separating Aang and me, and things had not gone well at the Southern Air Temple. While the other elders busily communicated with the Water Tribes in any way possible, I went over how I could still have Aang stay here, and what I could do to convince Aang of my intentions.

But I would never get a chance to do that, as on that very evening, I sneaked into Aang's bedroom. I already decided that I would not only fight for Aang's rights to stay, but also for his choice of life. But when I opened the door, I could see that the room was completely empty. The only thing left for us was a note, as Aang took everything he held dear with him, including his staff and Appa, his Sky Bison. By sunrise, the Council of Elders met already. Even with the sheer impact of the incident, there was, rightly so, no assignment of blame on myself or any other air bender. A search party was organized and sent out, in hopes of locating Aang before anything happened to him.

But it was not Aang that would be subject to a bad event. Rather, it was the temple itself, as a Fire Nation armada was ploughing at us at full speed. Apparently, we had been underestimating the Fire Lord, not expecting that not only was his military ready, but it was already deployed and heading straight for our shores. Our search team lead told us that several volleys of fire confirmed their aggressive intentions, and they were all lucky to have made it back with only minor injuries. But according to the reports, the sheer size of this armada was a cause for concern. "We have to keep everyone, especially the young and the ill, inside the temple," Pasang ordered. Despite being a peaceful nation with no standing military, we had relatively well-prepped defences, and were prepared to take a stand against the Fire Nation. There was no doubt we were in for the fight of our lives.

Within hours, the evacuation order was in full force. There was sheer chaos as air benders young and old gathered at the edges of the temple, ready to defend our home. Children were escorted inside, put into safe places away from potential battlegrounds. Just like the wind, typical Air Nomad defence strategies was to be evasive and defensive, always trying to avoid the conflict and not attacking the invader head-on. But with the huge army marching its way toward us, I wasn't sure how long we could keep avoiding.

We soon found out the hard way how much trouble we were in when mechanical sounds echoed through the rocky cliffs below. Those of us brave enough to investigate this unfamiliar sound dipped their heads over the cliff. Even standing a few steps back, I managed to edge quite close to the edge, letting my eyes soak in the misty clouds draping around the rocks below. Even though it was a sight I had seen every day of my life, I had to say this time it was making me nervous, as accentuated by the ominous silence.

But the mood was soon snapped in the most violent way possible, as a series of metallic objects sliced their way through the clouds and slamming into the sides of the cliffs. The entire foundation of our temple shook and the rumbling became louder than ever, almost like there was a powerful machine cutting through the rocks. Struggling to regain balance, a series of fireballs blasted their way upward, scorching the entire place and slamming into the open area. "The Fire Nation troops are attacking. We must put out the fires!" Pasang shouted, pointing to several areas lighting up in bright orange.

Immediately, air benders swirled the wind above us, trying to use its chill to put out the flames. Another group aimed their air downward, hoping to use an air slice to knock the tanks back. But it was to no avail as the machines crept their way to the level of the temple, their cannons firing at full-strength as many of those on the frontlines were either burned or ran over. As I alternated between the sight of the smouldering temple and the sounds of monks screaming as they got hit, it was evident to me what the Fire Nation's purpose was: they were shooting to kill, and planned on taking no prisoners. "It's no longer safe here," I declared, "Should we make a retreat?"

Pasang nodded, and immediately signalled everyone back into the temple, where it was supposedly safer. The Council of Elders tried to hold the Fire Nation military off, but to little avail as more tanks made their way onto the summit. Their cannons were still blazing, with a wall of fire surrounding us all. The smoke from each fire mixed with the clouds, creating a strange eclipse around the sun. Amidst the darkness, the pungent smell and sounds of people choking and wheezing, I had to help as many of the air benders back into the temple as possible. "Hurry," I shouted, pulling a couple of younger monks back as I shielded my face. The smoke's nauseating smell was slicing into my nostrils, and the fumes' heavier than air trait made it more difficult to bend away.

But the scene soon descended into chaos as the infantry finally made their way up the mountain, a series of fireballs coming out from a synchronized sequence of punches and kicks by the Fire Nation foot soldiers. Screams of terror was soon replaced by groans of pain as several people fell, their bodies a simmering wreck as the fire benders launched their full-scale assault. I couldn't even see if everyone had made it back, nor could I see how many of our monks were killed. All I thought about was the welfare of the young ones as I hurried through the halls, hoping they were in safer areas, away from the fight.

Yet I couldn't even take one step into the deeper parts of the temple, the fires raging from the outside proved too much for our doors to handle. Soon, helmeted men in dark red uniforms raced through our halls, chanting their battle cries as they rampaged through every room. Even from my position away from them, I could see the doorway of each chamber light up, cries of agony echoing through the halls as the Fire Nation tore up everything and killed everyone in sight. This wasn't just a war they were involved in, it was genocide. "I must do something to distract them from the kids," I muttered.

Getting into position, I gathered all the air I could from around me and shot it down the hall, right in the direction of the Fire Nation troops. This would probably set them all chasing after me, but knowing my skills in air bending and evasive manoeuvres, I could probably handle it. All my years living as a daredevil meant this was nothing more than a new challenge for me, and I knew I was ready to tackle it head on. Besides, the children were the most important thing, as I had to get the troops away from them.

Luckily for me, I was soon joined at this hallway by several air benders, all of whom wielded their staffs as they held off the Fire Nation troops. That gave me just enough time to dash off to check on the youngsters. I was about to reach the bottom of the temple, just outside of the innermost chamber when a series of Fire Nation troops arrived. "Freeze, old man," they barked, "Tell us where the Avatar is hiding!"

My eyes tilted back and forth, trying to find an escape route. If I stood my ground here, it would pretty much give away the fact that there were children in the other room. And if I ran back up the way I came, I would sandwich myself and the other air benders between two Fire Nation battalions. Even though I had faith in the others in beating the fire benders back, the risk was too great. Glancing to the side, I saw an exit to the back, where the Sky Bison pens were held. Based on the smells from that direction, I could tell the fire benders probably scorched the place as well, leaving who knew how many Sky Bison dead. My hands balled into fists as I imagined the merciless killings that occurred. How could these people have such a disregard for all living things?

Turning back to the helmeted team, I took a deep breath and calmed my mind. Even if I had to fight them, I had to do it in a wise way that limited damage to our people. "You won't get the Avatar here," I responded slowly, "The Avatar is gone. You will not find what you seek here, so please stop the senseless killings immediately."

That only got the leader of this battalion seething with anger. "You're lying!" he roared, sending a jet of flames my way. Just as the orange wall collapsed in on me, I spun around and threw myself at the opening, all the while shooting streams of air at the fire benders. I could see those standing at the front stagger back, but quickly got back to their positions as I hurried out the door. There wasn't much room for me to run, and sooner or later I had to stand my ground and fight the Fire Nation.

Flames engulfed the bison pens as I barged through, not even bothering to check the welfare of the animals as I tried to pull the troops away from the interior. I scanned around the area, trying to find a spot for me to go as the battalion hustled out from inside. More fire shot out from the soldiers as they pursued me with great ferocity. "You can't run anymore," the team leader taunted, "We have the power of the comet, which will be near our world for the next few days. We already attacked the Western Air Temple, and took out everybody inside. You might as well stop lying to us and give us the Avatar, because we're not afraid to use our enhanced fire bending powers right now."

My heart skipped a beat at the announcement, as I realized why it became so hard to defeat them. Skill-wise, I had to say that most air benders were of equal strength, but the Southern Air Temple had a relative edge in terms of technique and experience. But even the most skilled air benders had difficulty defeating the Fire Nation, which meant whatever this comet was doing to their powers, it had an impact. Waving my arms in a circular motion, I whipped up as much wind as possible, sending them to the battalion's direction. "Then feel free to kill me, for I am ready to defend my people," I replied.

Barely seconds passed when the first line of troops marched forward to me, a line of fireballs heading my way. Despite the smoke covering the area, making the air quite impure for bending, I still managed to get enough to bat the flames down. I stared around me and saw that I was surrounded by Fire Nation troops, meaning my chances of getting out alive were very slim. A limited area for manoeuvring, along with thick smoke that prevented access to purer air for bending purposes placed me at a disadvantage. Still, I soldiered on, getting into a defensive stance to field another round of attacks.

A hail of fire rained down on me before I could even react. I wheeled around furiously, whipping up a small vortex around me to deflect the fire balls away. Even with this more advanced air bending skill, I could still feel several flames fall through the cracks, scorching my clothing and the ground underneath. With various parts of my body zinged by fire, immense pain soon took over, making it more difficult to move. By the time the barrage ended, I could barely stand, my legs wobbling in fatigue.

Sensing that the Fire Nation troops weren't about to let up, I had to go on the offensive. The Air Nomad philosophy was to avoid conflict and respect all life, but in air bending, there were rarely-used techniques that allowed us to damage opponents. Taking a deep breath, I stretched out my arms and, gathering some air, swept them across the Fire Nation formation. The winds rippled down at the way and slammed into the soldiers, knocking several off their feet and tumbling backwards. Staying with my momentum, I spun around and blew at the troops on the other side of the formation, letting out a huge stream of air from my mouth to push back those troops. Hopefully, this gave me a bit more room to move, allowing me to drag my injured body to a safer place.

But there was no time to do so, as the battalion leader took action on me. From my strained vision, I could see him wheel his arms around and charging up a huge plume of fire. I struggled to maintain balance, circling my arms to create an air shield just as the leader spun around and unleashed the flames. The next few moments played out in slow motion as my hastily-made shield soon broke down, the air no match for the raging fire lumbering towards me. Before long, a searing amount of heat coursed through my body, my skin and clothing crumpling in flames. With nothing more than orange surrounding my every side, I soon collapsed to the ground. Numbness soon overtook me, and now I could not move even though I still had some senses working.

I could barely make out the blurred image of the battalion leader cruelly strutting up to me, his words nothing but slurs as he pointed his troops to various places. I knew, at this current situation, my time was probably up. My home was about to be destroyed, and probably all its inhabitants were about to die. Everything I cherished, from the natural beauty of the environment, to the laughter of young air benders playing, even to the Sky Bison pens, all that was about to be wiped out. In my mind, I could only wonder what brought this type of destruction about, and what made the Fire Nation behave this way.

As each soldier's boots clopped away from me, my mind could only wander back to my number one concern: Aang. I had no idea where he was, and what went through his mind when he left. I knew that the Council of Elders, with their decision to split us up, truly scared him, and maybe it was the unclear vision that drove him to run away. In any case, I could only hope that he reached safety, away from this destruction and mayhem. Aang was the only hope now, for the other air temples, should they survive the attacks, and the rest of the world. I could only hope that he could find the teachers required so he could learn the other elements and stopped the Fire Nation in time. I shuddered to think what the world would be in for if Aang failed. As the last men left, the battalion leader muttered to me, "Since you're of no use to us, why don't we put you out of your misery."

With that, he reeled back and charged up a fire ball with his fist. This short-range attack, similar to an explosive, was meant to do ultimate damage to a close-up opponent. For my case, that meant ending my life. As the fire fist came closer to my face, the bright sphere dominating my line of vision, only one thought formed in my head:

My name is Gyatso. That was my story. Those were my rites of passage.


	12. Azula, Part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Each character grows up with a set of experiences unique to themselves. Watch each person describe what went through their minds and how they changed as they reacted to the world. These are their stories, these are their rites of passage.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: Michael DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko own Avatar.

The chamber was as dim as it was wide, with only a single row of flames shining and flickering before me. I stood confidently at the front, my back straight and my arms stretched out to either side as my father looked on in pride. He was the only reason I came to this meeting with my grandfather, Fire Lord Azulon, who sat above me at his throne on the altar. Father had asked me to perform my latest fire bending techniques before the Fire Lord, and given my superior skills, I was happy to oblige.

And Fire Lord Azulon watched intently as I got into my stance, my arms swept across the air and repositioned at my waist. Grandfather used to be a powerful man, with fearsome fire bending skills and an iron-fisted authority, but personally I felt he was over the hill. With someone this elderly still on the throne, how was it that the Fire Nation could incorporate new ideas into the war effort, finally finishing all the good work started by Great-Grandfather Sozin? Dad would make a much better Fire Lord, I thought.

Before long, my punches and kicks sliced through the air, with flames emitting from my every move. The flames danced along with me, displaying the raw power of fire. I jumped, flipped, weaved and twisted throughout allowing my body to sail effortlessly through the air.. It was all easy for me, as I had always been deemed the fire bending prodigy. But for my doofus brother Zuko, who joined us for this meeting, this was something he shouldn't even think of attempting. Seriously, how could anyone that incompetent be even showing up to this important meeting with the Fire Lord?

Now, with all the fire surrounding my body, it was time to finish it off with a flourish. Gathering my momentum, I raced towards Fire Lord Azulon, feeding off of the wall of fire he had before him. I was taught that aggression and fieriness were crucial to fire bending, and what better way to show that than with this new move I developed. The whole world seemed to slow down as I propelled into the air, leading with my shoulder while fire burned out from my right foot. Even though my body twisted around, my eyes stayed on Grandfather, his emotionless mug emerging from behind his flickering flames like an apparition. Letting the right leg fly, I unleashed a kick into the air, sending fire to the skies.

The roar of that shot echoed throughout the chamber even as I landed perfectly on the ground, the fire most likely hitting the roof. I could only smirk as my father showered me with compliments. "She's a true prodigy, just like her grandfather, after whom she's named." Try beating that one now, Zuzu. There was no way you could match me.

But knowing my stubborn brother, he had to use every attempt to take the stage. "I'd like to demonstrate what I've been learning," he declared, stepping up to the Fire Lord just as I took a seat next to my father. I could only roll my eyes as Zuko copied my stances completely. Let's see how he would make a fool out of himself this time.

It didn't take long to find out. Zuko landed square on his back by the first manoeuvre, the collision so hard that I could feel the tremors all the way from my seat. I could only snicker as Zuko tried again, and fell again. The clumsy oaf just didn't know when to quit, did he? And to no one's surprise, Grandfather didn't seem impressed at all. He gazed down at Zuko with disappointed eyes, wondering why his time was wasted.

As expected, my mother, Fire Lady Ursa, had to approach Zuko and tell him how proud she was of him, and how he kept fighting no matter how hard it was. It nearly made me gag watching the scene, but momma's boy had to have his gross moments, and it sickened me. It took Fire Lord Azulon to cut into the scene and state exactly what was on my mind regarding Zuko. "Prince Ozai, just tell me what you want. Everyone else, go!" he ordered, waving his hand at us to direct us to the door.

My fussbudget mother led the way as Zuko and I followed her out, Zuko's eyes never leaving the ground as he trudged out in shame. But knowing that my father was here to deal with serious matters, I couldn't help but stay behind. So, just as the Fire Lady stepped out from the chamber, I grabbed Zuko by the sleeve and sneaked us behind the back curtain, covering ourselves up but leaving room for us to hear what was going on.

We slipped our faces out just in time to here our father address the Fire Lord. "Father, you must have realized, as have I, that with Lu Ten gone, Iroh's bloodline has ended. After his son's death, my brother abandoned his siege at Ba Sing Se, and who knows when he'll return home," he described the case of Uncle Iroh, my tea-obsessed fuddy-duddy uncle who was the general leading the greatest invasion of the Earth Kingdom in history. He had those inferior dirt-loving pigs on the run until his son, our cousin Lu Ten, died, making him so choked with grief that he couldn't continue the war.

Just then, Dad stood up and faced Grandfather. "But I am here, Father, and my children are alive," he continued, his tone filled with strength. If anyone wondered where I got my speech from, this was it. The pose and posture my father took was the perfect example of what a Fire Lord should be, unlike his royal kookiness who seemed more fascinated with enjoying himself. It truly made me wonder how the laziest man in the Fire Nation became its top general. "Revoke Iroh's birthright. I am your humble servant, here to serve you and our nation. Use me!" he suggested, getting on his knees again.

Apparently, that touched a nerve with my grandfather, who refused to shift the position of heir from Uncle Iroh to my father. "You dare suggest I betray Iroh, my firstborn, directly after the death of his beloved son?" he roared, the flames around the throne becoming hotter and brighter, to the point where inside the curtain, Zuko and I had sweat dripping down our faces. "I think Iroh has suffered enough, but your punishment has scarcely begun!" Grandfather ranted, his voice echoing throughout the chamber.

With that, the flames around Fire Lord Azulon shot into the air, engulfing all that before us in a fiery ball of orange. Being the sissy he was, Zuko shot out from the curtain and raced straight for the door, not even waiting for what was about to come. But I knew better than that, as I stayed and heard out the so-called punishment for my dad. If the Fire Lord felt he could bully through someone as smart as Dad, he was out of his mind.

"Your punishment should fit your crime," the Fire Lord growled, the flames still burning brightly, "You must know the pain of losing a firstborn son by sacrificing your own." With that, he dismissed the meeting, refusing to hear another word from Dad's mouth. It was evident that there was no backing down from the Fire Lord, and I was convinced that my father had to figure a way out. Still, it was fun to torment Zuko with this information. Sneaking from the curtains, I stepped out of the chamber and headed straight for Zuko's bedroom, wondering what his reaction would be should I tell him.

"Dad's going to kill you," I taunted in a sing-song voice. I leaned casually against Zuko's door frame, glancing in at the now awake individual who clutched his blankets and shaded his eyes in irritation. "Really, he will." I re-enacted the scene before Zuko, telling him how Fire Lord Azulon wasn't compromising on his verdict. "I'm only telling you for your own good. Why don't you find a nice Earth Kingdom family who will adopt you?" I sneered. Plopping down on the edge of his bed, I tried to gauge his expression. It was so obvious that Zuko was scared, but did everything in his power to hide it.

And as Zuko's luck would have it, Mom had to barge in and shooed me out. Demanding a talk with me, she dragged me to the hallway, a fume etched permanently onto her face. To me, I didn't care, as the sounds of Zuko pathetically reassuring himself by claiming that I always lied was all worth it. Besides, even when Mom favoured Zuko all the time, I had Dad's respect, and a future Fire Lord was way more important than some prissy lady who claimed to know everything about proper behaviour.

All I did was repeat the message to my dear mother, who was too stunned to say anything in return. I even put on quite the show for her, telling her I worried for Zuko and that I didn’t want Dad to do anything to him. When Mom demanded that I went to bed, I could not help but grin from ear to ear. With Zuko spoked out of his mind and Mom now frantic, I would love to see how they resolve this mess.

________________________________________

"I come with a message from home. Father has changed his mind, and family is now very important to him," I stated, keeping my posture and tone as serious as possible. It had been years since the event at the throne room, and Fire Lord Azulon soon gave way to my father, Fire Lord Ozai. Apparently, the plot to kill Zuko never hatched out, as our grandfather passed away the very night it was supposed to happen. Father never revealed the details, but I suspected it had something to do with Mom, as she disappeared from the palace ever since. With Uncle Iroh still too traumatized by Lu Ten's death, nobody was there to challenge for the throne, leaving my father becoming the new Fire Lord.

And after my father took over the throne, every aspect of Fire Nation life was dedicated to the warfront. We had everything planned out for several strategic battlegrounds, and to no one's surprise, my incompetent brother had to speak out and challenge those plans. That was why Father didn't even hesitate in teaching him a lesson by challenging him to an Agni Kai, which the coward tried to avoid, even as they approached the arena. Even when Zuko begged for forgiveness, I felt Father did the entire world a favour by flaming him across the face, declaring that he dishonoured the country and banishing him.

And here he was, three years later, the scarred tissue around his left eye prominent as ever. Zuko's lone goal on this banishment was to capture the long-lost Avatar from the Air Nomads. Without Mom around, Zuko had no one left to lean on for support. We couldn't possibly keep weaklings like these around to slow down our progress, so I say my father did everyone a great favour. Either way, things were about to take another drastic change, as I continued my explanation. "He's heard rumours of plans to overthrow him. Family are the only ones we can really trust. He wants you home," I concluded.

An ominous silence descended upon the lodge, with even the sounds of birds chirping in this resort town dying down. I could feel Zuko mull my words over, given how home was very important to him. His three years of drifting across the world hardened his resolve to regain his honour. That was why, with this move, it was perfect to get him to come back. "You should be happy," I pointed out, tilting my head to better gauge Zuko's expression. Zuko now had his face looking out the window, leaving only his side turned to me. "I just brought you great news!" I added, hoping to hear him react.

Just then, Uncle Iroh had to cut in, insisting that Zuko merely needed time to mull things over. That was when I had to raise my voice to keep him in line, as any little move by this oversized hunk of lard would ruin my plans. For the last three years, the only one who accompanied Zuko on his journey was Uncle Iroh, who effectively retired from the Fire Nation military after Father ascended the throne. Despite his hedonistic attitude, I actually suspected that Zuko had gotten along quite well with Uncle, meaning his every word might change Zuko's mind. Had that happened, my plan would fall to pieces.  
Turning back to Zuko, I told him I would give him some time to take it in. "I'll come and call on you tomorrow. Have a good evening." With that, I strolled out of the hut and back to the harbour, where my escort ship was waiting. I boarded the vessel and headed straight for my room, where I would spend the rest of the night.

As I closed the door behind me, I realized what a great job I did in getting Zuko to think my way. Really, the story about Father wanting him to come home was all a lie, as he never wished to see Zuko again. The main thing was to capture Zuko and Uncle, who were branded as traitors to the Fire Nation. But knowing that Uncle was a skilled fire bender, capable of taking out even the strongest battalion, a different tactic was required, hence the story. For something I completely fabricated, I believed I did quite well.

I quickly changed out of my Fire Nation military uniform and into something more comfortable as I pondered Zuko's next move. I realized that to get someone with as stubborn a mind as Zuko to change, the best way was to attack his wants, and that must include family. In my view, everyone in the world was like this, including our enemies from the Earth Kingdom. No matter how stubborn they were, no matter how much they resisted, our military would defeat them once and for all if we could just hit their needs the hardest. After all, Great-Grandfather Sozin started this not as a war, but as a way to share our technology and culture with the rest of the world. Why would these inferior beings even want to reject something advanced that could better their world?

By the time morning arrived, I had received the news. Zuko and Uncle Iroh were to board our ship for the Fire Nation. That meant everything had to be prepared to look like an official welcoming party. I immediately got changed and summoned the guards, having them stand on guard along the pier leading to the boarding ramp. I dispatched the captain of this ship, a loyal servant but a bumbling idiot, to greet the two as they arrived. When things were under my control, inefficiency was out of the question, especially when dealing with my tricky uncle who always had something up his sleeve.

Soon, the two figures, one lean and tall while the other stout and wide, made their way to the ship. "I'm so glad you decided to come," I greeted them as they reached the ramp. The soldiers behind them fell in formation, ready to board with them as I called to the captain, "Set our course for home." There was no way I could fail now.

But then, I realized I spoke too soon. The knucklehead of a captain declared that the boat be readied to take the prisoners home. I could only stutter in frustration as sheer pandemonium took over at the pier. Fire Nation guards tried pouncing on my uncle, but the plump man fended off all attackers with using a single bit of fire. Zuko, however, was more livid as he scaled the ramp, shoving the captain into the water below. The only thing I enjoyed the entire time was when Zuko roared, "You lied to me."

I smirked, turning my back on him as I strolled nonchalantly to the other side of the ship. "Like I've never done that before," I scoffed. By the time my vision was on the ocean, I could hear the sounds of fire blasting out of fists as Zuko took on the remaining guards standing in his way. Even if he resorted to using force, I was ready for him, given my superior skills in fire bending and the development of new techniques.

Zuko was predictable as ever, emitting two fire blades from his hands and swung them furiously at me. There was almost no challenge to this as I dodged his every move with ease. "You know, Father blames Uncle for the loss at the North Pole," I sneered, referring to a second military defeat by the Fire Nation. Hundreds of ships from the Fire Nation fleet laid siege at the North Pole, with Uncle Iroh as the admiral's head advisor, and we still lost. That was unforgiveable. "And he considers you a miserable failure for not finding the Avatar!" I taunted Zuko, pointing to his fruitless search, "Why would he want you back home except to lock you up where you can no longer embarrass him!"

That only got Zuko in a bigger rage as he came with me with intense heat shooting from his hands. His grunts of frustration echoed off the ship as he tried to slash at me, each time ending with a near miss. Unfortunately, our mother wasn't here to give him consolation for trying and failing, and I was getting kind of tired of his pathetically disorganized flailing. Deciding it was time to end the fight, I grabbed one of his arms as he parried, whipping it circularly and locking it in a downward position. With his body exposed in an open pose, it was time for me to show him what true fire bending was like.

My free hand shot forward, sending a blue fire blast into the air. Because of my higher skills in fire bending, my fire burned stronger and hotter than those from a regular fire bender, hence the different colour. It was inches away from Zuko's face, nearly giving him another scar as I blew him back. We were currently halfway up another ramp going to the control deck, and I ended up shoving Zuko down the steps and back onto the main deck. Thuds and bangs sounded from the metallic haul as Zuko landed in the middle of the ship, with nothing around him. It was perfect for testing out my newest technique.

Waving my hands around, I gathered all the energy within me, ready to unleash it in one shot. This was one of the most advanced skills in fire bending called lightning bending. I picked it up from my father, who told me that it would be fatal should it strike its target. But given who my latest target was, it only gave me more incentive to use it. Feeling immense electrical power surging through my body, the static sizzling from my hand, I pointed my finger at Zuko and prepared to let loose the attack.

But before I could reach the final stage, I felt a tight grip around my hand, a soft, muffled hissing sound emanated from it. I glanced up to see Uncle Iroh right next to me, his rough hand absorbing the energy away from mine like a leech stuck on an animal in the swamp. Uncle squeezed the lightning out of me, sucking it all in before letting it loose. From his finger, the electricity blasted into the skies, slamming into the cliffs above the resort they stayed in earlier. The unbelievable power created a mini avalanche as rocks and other debris crumbled into the water. Sure it was a sight to marvel at, but now my chance at defeating my brother was lost.

As if that embarrassment wasn't enough, Uncle Iroh then had to throw me into the water. While I was a superior fighter in speed and strength, I had to admit I was no match to Uncle in size. With his weight, even a small attack could quickly gather momentum as he sent me into the cold liquid below. By the time I resurfaced, they were already gone. "No one gets away with it like that," I snarled, swimming my way to shore. From now on, I decided that these two would become fugitives, and anyone harbouring those two traitors would be punished severely. The hunt was about to begin.

________________________________________

I could feel the setting sun beat its rays onto my back as I rode my Basilisk into this abandoned town somewhere in the middle of the Earth Kingdom. Ever since Zuko and Uncle Iroh became enemies of the Fire Nation, I had spent most of my energy and time crisscrossing the Earth Kingdom, hoping to hunt them down. A few days ago, I visited the recently conquered city of Omashu, now renamed New Ozai, where the new governor's daughter, Mai, was an old classmate of mine. Along with Ty Lee, another former classmate who had joined the circus, the three of us decided to go on this mission together. I figured that there was no way we could lose, with our fighting skills.

But at Omashu, a little incident happened that allowed me to set my eyes on a new target. Mai's infant little brother Tom-Tom, for some strange reason, fell into the hands of the residents, who departed the city en masse. While we originally offered them a trade, with us giving up Omashu's former king Bumi, it was discovered that the long-lost Avatar was with them. While the young boy tried to escape with Bumi, we managed to catch him in the act and chased them out of town. But that meant there was another fish to fry, and if I could catch the Avatar alongside Zuko, then the honour doubled for me.

I finally saw the young Avatar, seated on the ground in the middle of the ghost town. Using a new piece of Fire Nation technology, we pursued and attacked their group all night, to the point where fatigue would supposedly sink them. Sizing my foe up, I could see he was about twelve years old, completely bald, and had an arrow leading to his forehead. Smirking, I stood confidently next to my lizard. The Avatar squinted at me, the dark bags under his eyes sagging like bricks. "Alright, you caught up with me. Now who are you and what do you want?" he demanded.

I snickered, figuring that this battle would end real soon. Trying to sap as much of his energy as possible, I taunted him by making him guess. "Here's a hint," I replied, lifting a hand to cover my left eye, "I'm chasing the Avatar to restore my honour!" I declared, doing my best impersonation of my traitorous brother.

The Avatar barely moved, his eyes barely able to stay open as he glanced at me helplessly. "Now it's over. You're tired and you have no place to go. You can run, but I'll catch you." With that, I got into a battle stance, ready to spring onto my prey.

To my amusement, the Avatar got onto his feet, his hand gripped tightly around his staff as he declared that he would not run away. Knowing our conditions, there was almost no chance he could win. "Do you really want to fight me?" I retorted.

Then, from out of nowhere, an Ostrich Horse bounded into the ghost town, its rider leaping off and landing right between the Avatar and me. The hat lifted off of the rider's head, revealing that all-to-familiar scarred face. "Back off, Azula," the gruff tone of Zuko growled at me, "He's mine." He had one hand stretched out to his either side, ready to shoot fire at both the Avatar and me.

My eyes tilted back and forth between Zuko and the Avatar. I had to admit that I was in somewhat of an awkward position, having to go offensive against the Avatar but play defence against Zuko. But if I could take them both down at the same time, it would be a great day for me. Besides, knowing how superior my skills were compared to these two amateurs, losing was near impossible. I kept my eyes on mainly Zuko, whom I planned to take out and used that momentum to propel myself towards the Avatar. Any slight movement by my brother and it was the perfect time to attack.

That perfect moment came when Zuko tilted his head slightly towards the Avatar, who seemed like he was trying to find an escape route. It gave me just enough time to create a fire blast as I twisted my body around, feeling the flames surge through my arm and out my finger. Everything seemed to move in slow motion as the blue fire slammed into Zuko, sending him straight into a wooden pillar. The thin wood snapped like a twig, causing parts of a roof to collapse and tumble onto Zuko. Good riddance, I thought. Now, I could turn my focus straight on the Avatar, the final prize of the day.

I lifted my head to see the bald boy racing off, lifting open his staff and turning it into a glider. Typical Air Nomad cowardice, as they never dared to face their battles head-on. No wonder Great-Grandfather Sozin was able to ambush their troops with such ease, as they probably didn't bother to practice their techniques at all. Just as he took to the skies, I showed him what a true battle was about. Whipping together even more fire, I slashed my arm down vertically, creating a huge fire scythe that sliced through the air. The boy's glider took the brunt of the hit, twisting out of control before slamming down. As the ground shook, I could see him in his defenceless pose.

I took advantage of his position by leaping onto a nearby building and raced to the Avatar via rooftops. As I pounced down onto him, there was nowhere for him to go. This was where the merciless power of fire bending came in handy, as I did a perfect leg whip, scorching the earth as he tried to crawl away. But to no one's surprise, Zuko had to get between us and interrupt the fight. While Mom would be proud of his tireless efforts to keep fighting, now was not the time to interrupt, as the Avatar was the most important thing here. As I dodged his fire balls all the while keeping an eye on the Avatar, I could only wonder where Mai and Ty Lee were. They were supposedly chasing the Avatar's group members, which shouldn't be hard to defeat. So what was taking them so long?

I let my guard down for just a moment, and Zuko nearly tackled me. His body sailed through the air, eclipsing the sun and placing his face in silhouette as I ducked out of the way. This distraction wasn't about to do me any good, as it meant the Avatar could run off the other way. Realizing a new possibility, I stretched my arms out in opposite directions and blasted fire to my either side, sending Zuko to the ground again and the Avatar running up a flight of stairs. Without Mom to console him, I didn't even turn to Zuko as I chased the Avatar, who disappeared through a hole in the wall. Confounding he might be, but this young boy was no match to someone with my skills.

But I spoke too soon, as my blazing speed nearly took me off the ledge. In the midst of the chase, I didn't realize that the Avatar escaped into an emptied-out building, with only a thin ledge overlooking at least a two-storey drop. The Avatar was on the other side, hovering in the air on a spinning air ball, waving at me tauntingly as I tiptoed my way back to safety. How dare he be this treacherous and pull off a dirty trick like this, I thought. Should I get back on balance, he would be burned to a crisp.

Again, it had to be Zuko who ruined my chances. The big oaf followed me into the building and made the same mistake I almost made. I had no idea how he got back to his feet, or how he could make it up here this quickly. But here was my bumbling brother lumbering into the building and, believe it or not, falling into the hole below. Had it not been for the chase, I would have found that hilarious. And because of that fall, it took my eyes off the Avatar, who managed to get back onto the ledge. The sneaky little wretch took another side-shot at me as he hurried past, sticking one hand out and shoved me. Even with my excellent balance, the surprise attack got me reeling back and falling over.

But there would be no embarrassment of joining Zuko in the mud for me, as I twisted my body in the air and managed to land on my feet. Zuko was just stirring when I could hear the Avatar sneak back into the open area of the ghost town. This chase had gone on for long enough, and Zuko had done enough to delay their inevitable capture. Banished prince or Avatar, they were both my enemies, and it was time I treated them both as such. Letting my anger feed the flames, I sent a fist at Zuko, shooting the fire bomb straight at his body.

The explosion rocked the entire building, causing it to weaken even more than its current state. Zuko was sent flying out to the open, his body's landing on the ground blowing up more dust. I used this as covering for me to escape, jumping back out and sending yet another round of fire at the Avatar, who tried to scale another building. I seethed with anger at another one of his attempts to escape. Even if he wasn't going to fight back, the least he could do was face me with honour and courage. But to run off every time there was a battle was the lowest of the low, and in my mind he shouldn't even call himself the Avatar if he behavef like this. Clutching my fist, I sent the biggest fire ball yet his way, slamming it into the building and tearing the wall to bits.

That did the trick as the Avatar collapsed into the building, his body covered by debris as I marched up to him. There was no way he could escape now, not with depleted energy and multiple injuries. As he glanced up, struggling hard to escape, I set the entire room on fire, making sure there was no way out. His grunts of agony were music to my ears, the greatest obstacle to the Fire Nation's success now within in my grasp.

But a violent tug on my arm caused me to reel back, the sudden jerk sending me hurtling to the side. I turned around to see a teenage girl dressed in blue holding a water whip, cracking the debris around the Avatar and freeing him. I stepped out of the house in pursuit of the Water Tribe girl when a teenage boy clad in blue swung at me with a club. Gritting my teeth, I parried against the two Water Tribe siblings and the Avatar, a three-on-one battle that placed me on the defensive. While I remained calm, my mind was seething as I wondered how these two pathetic Water Tribe peasants bested Mai and Ty Lee. Did they even want to fight or did they let the water benders go?

As I eyed my three enemies, I was met with another surprise as some rocks shot up from the ground and tripped me up. "I thought you guys could use a little help," a young girl's voice announced from behind me. With a fourth member of the Avatar's group zooming in on me, I could only grit my teeth. So now they also have an earth bender on their team? This would only make my job more difficult. Perhaps I should retreat now and bide some time before thinking up of another plan? There were some new pieces of technology being developed by our military, so maybe those should be considered?

But I barely took three steps before an oversized body got in my way, the large abdomen shoving into me and bouncing me back. I looked around and saw myself surrounded, not only by the Avatar's group, but also by Zuko and Uncle Iroh. Never in my life had I envisioned a six-on-one situation, let alone one where my own brother and uncle were playing for the other team. "Look at this," I commented, "Enemies and traitors all working together. I'm done, I know when I'm beaten," I told them, raising my hands.

That seemed to have taken them by surprise, as none of them expected to see me surrender. Letting that play into my hands, I picked the oldest and the most skilled to attack. Aiming right at Uncle Iroh, I shot a blue flame straight into his chest. The older man twirled around in slow-motion, collapsing onto the ground with his hand clutching his sternum in pain. Knowing Zuko, he would definitely turn to Uncle Iroh, leaving me with the Water Tribe weaklings, the shrimpy earth bender, and the goofy baldy, hardly enough ammunition to keep me in one spot. As Zuko hollered in shock, I leapt away from the group, just in time to avoid all four elements being shot at me at once. There was a spectacular explosion, but too bad I couldn't stay to see it, as I had better things to do.

Rushing back to my Basilisk, I hurried away from here. I could only think about Mai and Ty Lee, and how incompetent they must be to let those two water benders escape. Not only that, Zuko had to continue with his obsessive hunt for the Avatar, with total neglect for the bigger goal of aiding our great nation. How could I even deal with imbeciles like these? Grimacing, it was time I showed the world what true power was all about, and I was intent on getting contacts with the nearest Fire Nation technology base.

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"You're so dramatic. What, are you going to challenge me to an Agni Kai?" I sneered at Zuko, standing at a broken wall in the vast Earth Kingdom palace. After a couple more failures with externally attacking the Earth kingdom capital of Ba Sing Se, I decided to change tactics and collapse the city from within. Mai, Ty Lee, and I managed to sneak into the capital disguised as the Kyoshi Warriors, who we ran into and defeated on our way here. Now, with the Ba Sing Se secret police, the Dai Li, under my control thanks to the capture of their leader Long Feng, I had all the power I needed.

"Yes, I challenge you!" Zuko roared, getting into a fighting stance. Thanks to our disguises, the Avatar's group, who stayed in the city to plan for an invasion of the Fire Nation, couldn't distinguish us from the real Kyoshi Warriors. It was through the water bending girl Katara that we discovered Uncle Iroh and Zuko also settled here, and had opened up a tea shop. Realizing a good chance to capture both Zuko and the Avatar, I purposely faked a letter to them, claiming that the Earth King had invited them over for morning tea. It led to Uncle doing his fire-breathing technique, which caught some of us off guard, letting the oversized lard ball escape. But Zuko had to listen to his mommy and chose to keep fighting, leading to what would be a very painful lesson.

Smirking nonchalantly, I flatly refused him. "No thanks," I stated, letting the Dai Li agents around me to the work. As I observed before, they might be earth benders, but their killer instinct rivalled those from the Fire Nation, as shown by how quickly they subdued Zuko. Two agents lifted a huge block of earth, blocking the fire blast launched by my brother before forming earthen fists and shooting them at Zuko. They managed to grip his feet and one hand, effectively neutralizing his powers.

With a couple more fists, Zuko was all tied up. "We'll be taking him to the catacombs below the palace," the lead Dai Li agent informed me with a bow. I especially told them to not harm Zuko, keeping him as alive as possible so I could enact my future plans on him. Whatever decision he made, I knew I would win out.

I was in no hurry to return to the throne room, where I told Ty Lee and Mai to wait while observing the Earth King. The fact that the Earth Kingdom had a bumbling idiot for a leader only made things easier for me to handle. In my mind, a leader must be decisive, iron-willed, and capable of installing fear into others. The fact that the Fire Nation had grown so strong was because Fire Lords Sozin and Azulon were capable of doing that, and my father Ozai was currently employing the same methods. I had made it clear to the Dai Li that anyone showing any hesitation to my commands would be punished for it, and that was why I wasn't surprised at how smoothly the capture of Zuko went.

As I strolled back to the others, I mulled over how I would present my case to Zuko. My idea was that people would respond to threats against their safety with obedience, in exchange that I didn't cause them bodily harm. However, I realized that my brother was a more difficult case. Even before being banished, Zuko tended to create bonds with people, to the point where he would act almost irrationally. I recalled the morning after Fire Lord Azulon declared that Dad must kill him, Zuko didn't even bother asking why he was spared. Instead, he ran off to the garden demanding to know where Mom went. Even when I recruited Mai to help our quest, I knew that Zuko had bonded with her before, and he might probably refuse to fight Mai. Given how strong his bonds were and how stubbornly he clung to them, he might be a more difficult nut to crack.

By the time I reached the throne room, there was sheer pandemonium. Mai was in a fierce deadlock with Toph, the petite earth bender from the Avatar's group, while Ty Lee was in some weird dance with Katara's brother Sokka, trying to stab at his chi points while he bobbed and weaved frantically. The increasingly pathetic scene had me shaking my head, as clearly Mai and Ty Lee didn't have what it took to get things done. Showing them what it was all about, I marched up to the Earth King and lit a fire on my finger. Not a single person moved as I shouted over the crowd, "This fight is over."

My opponents promptly raised their hands in surrender, letting Ty Lee disable them by blocking their chi. As the Dai Li agents dragged their crumpled bodies out of the room, I plopped myself into the Earth King's throne. Knowing that within days, this seat would officially belong to the Fire Nation, I couldn't help but feel a sense of pride. Not only would I have succeeded where my uncle and many others had failed, I also did it with almost no military power. Uncle and others might have plenty of military muscle to flex, but nothing could beat a good dose of strategizing and back-room deals.

Speaking of back-room deals, here was the man I supposedly made an alliance with, released from his prison cell. Before the beginning of the coup, Long Feng had promised to give me the Avatar in exchange for having me release him from his cell. But knowing this old fool, he was bound to have more up his sleeve. "Now comes the part where I double-cross you," he stated, gesturing at the Dai Li agents lined up behind him, "Dai Li, arrest the Fire Nation princess!" he declared.

I cocked an eyebrow, mockingly staring at Long Feng as none of the Dai Li agents moved. Long Feng tried again, pathetically ordering his team to attack me, all to no avail. It almost seemed comical as the former fearsome head of the secret police now ranted until his voice became hoarse, demanding that the agents obeyed him. The perfect way to end this show was if Long Feng got on his knees and begged.

But I also knew Long Feng wasn't the type to plead, at least voluntarily. That was why I had to give him a bit of coaxing. "I can see your whole history in your eyes. You were born with nothing, so you had to struggle, and connive, and claw your way to power," I stated firmly, casting a downward gaze at the balding man, "But true power, the divine right to rule, is something you're born with." Gesturing at the robed figures behind him, I pointed at the throne emphatically as I continued, "They don't know which one of us is going to be sitting on that throne. But I know, and you know."

The golden moment came as Long Feng got to his knees, begging for mercy and forgiveness. Beads of sweat glistened off his hairless head as his forehead touched the ground, not daring to lift even a bit. Conceding that I beat him at his own game, I could only smirk in delight. But then again, knowing our statuses, it wasn't much of a contest, now was it? "Don't flatter yourself. You were never even a player!" I sneered, setting the old fool in his place again. Waving to the Dai Li, I instructed them to take their former leader back into his cell, where I would deal with him later on.

As Long Feng was re-arrested, I reflected upon the events of the past few days. Indeed, my superior planning skills and details in execution proved to be peerless. Even that pretender Long Feng fell prey to me, so what other challenge was there? But given the great disparity in skills, I was convinced that it proved my point: some people got to lead because they were fitter to, and some were merely followers because they did not have what it took. Such as how Mai and Ty Lee were always my followers, so should Long Feng. Now, all I had to do was to sway Zuko to my side, and my plan was complete.

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"I expected this kind of treachery from Uncle, but Zuko," I stated as I barged into the catacombs. True to my expectations, Uncle Iroh did manage to find Zuko, filling my brother's mind with all sorts of nonsense about how free he would be. Sensing a threat to our plans, the Dai Li agents I brought with me instinctively used the rocks to lock my uncle in a position where he couldn't move. With green crystals disabling Uncle, I was left alone with my brother as I talked some sense into him. "Prince Zuko, you're a lot of things, but you're not a traitor, are you? It's not too late for you, you can still redeem yourself."

Even from his fixed position, Uncle Iroh continued his gibberish, declaring that the type of redemption I was offering to Zuko wasn't fit for him. Sneering at the pathetic old man, I taunted him by demanding that he let Zuko decide. "I need you, Zuko. I've plotted every move of this day, this glorious day in Fire Nation history, and the only way we win is by fighting together. At the end of this day, you will have your honour back. You'll have Father's love. You'll have everything you want!" I concluded emphatically.

Again, more sappy language from Uncle, begging Zuko to look inside his heart to see what he truly wanted, making me that much closer to gagging. But it didn't matter to me, as I had already plotted my next move. With the Fire Nation troops on their way here and the Avatar still within reach, there was still a chance that I could capture my targets. Turning to the other aisle of this vast cavern, I told Zuko, "You're free to choose."

The only light that shone was the reflections of the sunlight seeping through the cracks and bouncing off the crystals. I had some idea where the Avatar and the water bending girl Katara were headed to. They probably wanted to get to their allies before the Dai Li found out about their escape. Earlier, I had already sent the two Dai Li agents who accompanied me back to the palace, and they probably already warned their team of the events. According to my calculations, it wouldn't be long before Dai Li agents filled up the catacombs and blocked off their every escape route. All I had to do was stall for time, even though I was confident I could take them both down.

I finally reached the opening of the next room, and saw the familiar figures of a boy in orange and a girl in blue rushing away from me. Summoning up some flames, I launched a huge fire bomb at them. I could see the Avatar turning around, lifting up a block of earth to stop my blast. I could only chuckle at his futile attempt as the shot sent the rocks flying and the young boy hurtling back. What kind of attack did he think this was, the weak shots sent out by my wishy-washy brother?

Before I could even admire the shot, the water bender sent a series of waves at me, whipped up from water in a nearby sewer. It didn't matter for me, as my fire could burn so hot that it would evaporate any water thrown at me in seconds. Just before I got the drenching of a lifetime, I lifted a wall of blue fire, heating the water and turning it into a steam cloud. A genius move, if I say so myself. Not only did I block the shot, but I created enough a smokescreen for me to ambush them. Their game was about to be over.

Leaping through the smoke, I sent myself hurtling through the air, laying a barrage of fire onto the ground below. All my enemies could do was to bring up a water shield to cover their heads, and even that barely lasted for a few more seconds. I kicked off a nearby pillar, just before the Avatar collapsed it with earth bending, and landed right between the two, with one hand pointed at each person. Not a sound could be made as my eyes tilted back and forth between the two, my mind racing at breakneck speed. With the presence of water and earth, it might be difficult to attack just one, as they could defend and attack simultaneously. Was there a way to hit them both at once and separated them?

But that question was soon answered as a huge red blast landed right between us. I looked up just in time to see Zuko standing there in a fighter pose, his eyes mirroring mind as he alternated looks between the enemies and me. Uncle was nowhere to be seen, and I wasn't sure if Zuko was on my side or theirs. I glared at Zuko, hoping to shoot down whatever thoughts he had of defecting to the other group. There was no way he could reject my offer, especially when I would give him everything he longed for.

My doubts were finally eased as Zuko turned to the Avatar and fired away. The boy was surprised at this move as he was knocked across the labyrinth. I could only smirk as the room heated up, with Zuko sending fiery blast after fiery blast at Aang, which left me with the girl. I might have more difficulty handling a two-on-one, but when it was one-on-one for both of us, fire bending would have the upper hand.

I made my charge at Katara, who sent a thin but sharp wall of water at me. I knew it was risky going head on, so I side-stepped the attack, the liquid seemingly slowing down as it whizzed by me. Even with my athleticism, I couldn't dodge completely, as the water managed to nick off some of my hair. By the time the water passed, I had barely regained my balance. That was when my opponent had coated her whole body with water and created two long water arms. For once, I was actually caught off guard, as I had no idea how this attack worked, and what defences I could come up with against it.

I soon figured it out the hard way, as the long water arms were for disabling foes. Even before I got one fire blast out, I had water wrapped around one arm and one leg, making for an awkward position. I couldn't neither pull nor push, stuck in a pose where the water bender was in control of me. Gritting my teeth, there was no where I could lose when I came this far, especially to this inferior peasant from some run-down tribe.

As suddenly as I was caught in the trap, I was released, sending my body reeling back as the water bonds broke loose. I turned to see Zuko standing there, flames burning ferociously from his hands as the Avatar tried hard to disentangle himself from the rubble in the back. Switching tactics, I decided to switch positions with Zuko and went after the Avatar, all the while Zuko kept water girl here in check.

Staring down the bald boy, I powered myself up with flames at my feet, propelling myself towards Aang. As the surroundings around me blew past in a blur, I saw the Avatar summon a series of crystals around his body, creating some sort of green armour around him. What a fool, I thought, did he really think that could protect him?

I showed him the true power of fire bending as I slammed into the Avatar with full force. The crystals shattered within contact, sending the boy sailing through the air and slamming back-first onto a stalactite. I squinted through the debris, trying not to breathe in the dust as I made sure there was no more movement. If he wasn't dead, then he was bound to be unconscious, given the force of that impact. With one target still immobile, I could turn my attention to Zuko, who had Katara on the defensive.

Zuko and I moved synchronously, our bodies attacking as one as dual blasts of orange and blue hurtled at the Water Tribe peasant. No amount of water shielding could block the shots of two powerful fire benders, and it showed when our enemy crashed through a sea of crystals and crumpled to the ground. At the same time, reinforcements had arrived as Dai Li agents dropped from the ceiling, making sure the Avatar had no place to go. I had no idea how this kid regained consciousness so quickly, but either way, today was the day when the so-called saviour of the world tasted defeat.

I could see the worry in Aang's eyes, his back hunched, his eyebrows curled, and his lips quivering as the Dai Li surrounded him. He glanced around helplessly, almost like when Zuko tried showing off before Grandfather Azulon and failed miserably, before turning his back to us. Sitting himself to the ground, he created a crystal tent, covering his entire body. I could feel the entire Dai Li battalion freeze behind me, some muttering to each other in confusion. What was the Avatar trying to pull here?

Before long, a bright pillar of light shot up from the tent, causing all those around me to duck and shield their bodies. I was the only one who still had my attention on the Avatar, who now floated ominously above the crowd, his body glowing unusually. With my eyes squinted, I could tell that his body was static. With no chance of attacking at all, this was a perfect time to strike. Harnessing the energy and feeling the surge of power within me, I whipped around and blasted a bolt of lightning straight through his body.

That woke everyone up as the Avatar's body grew limp and dropped from the top of the cavern, with his consciousness really knocked out this time. It also meant we all were unaware of Katara riding on her wave to the rescue as everyone leapt out of the way to avoid getting washed away. The Water Tribe girl held tightly to the Avatar, his lifeless body completely wilted. Now it was her turn to look helpless as we regained our formation, ready to attack once again. There was no escape for either one of them.

Before Zuko and I could even make a move, another fire bender entered the fray. Uncle Iroh jumped in out of nowhere and blocked off our path. "You've got to get out of here. I'll hold them off as long as I can!" he called to the water bender. Zuko and I were in shock, as Uncle's actions only proved my point that he did indeed betray us. As Uncle sent fire blasts at us, we could see from the corner of our eyes that Katara had taken Aang to a nearby waterfall and shot out of the labyrinth. It was too late for us to pursue, even as the Dai Li contained Uncle in another crystal tent, officially placing him under arrest.

But I wasn't worried, as I realized this move created another opportunity for a new contingency measure. Bringing Zuko back to the throne room, I told him that the bigger goal was nonetheless complete. "It's taken a hundred years, but the Fire Nation has conquered Ba Sing Se!" I beamed, sitting on the throne while Zuko stood beside me.

Zuko was in anything but good spirits, claiming that he betrayed Uncle. Sensing that was a problem, I had to set the record straight. "No, he betrayed you," I corrected him, "When you return home, Father will welcome you as a war hero. Today, you restored your own honour!" I reiterated, trying to remind him what his goal was.

Zuko dipped his head slightly, but I knew even the most complex person couldn't be pried from his own self-interests. Even with someone as stubborn and sentimental as Zuko, there were ways to get inside his head, and constantly bombarding him with home, family, and his honour was the most effective way to achieving this goal. As long as he got what he wanted, who cared that he threw Uncle Iroh aside? And even with the Avatar still missing, raising the possibility that questions might be issued at our conquest, what better way than to find a scapegoat to turn all my troubles on?


	13. Azula, Part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Each character grows up with a set of experiences unique to themselves. Watch each person describe what went through their minds and how they changed as they reacted to the world. These are their stories, these are their rites of passage.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: Michael DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko own Avatar.

"Why did you tell Father that I was the one who killed the Avatar?" My brother barged into my room, demanding answer in an insecure tone. It was eerily similar to the time I barged into his room, telling him Dad would kill him all those years ago. Funny how things took a turn for the opposite, as even when he was at his highest point he was demanding things from me.

I shook my head, trying to get the sleep out of my eyes. I hadn't had a good night's rest in my royal chambers since I first left to bring Zuko and Uncle Iroh back. As expected, Dad branded Uncle a traitor and threw him in prison, and requested a meeting with Zuko to redeem his honour. Apparently, it wasn't good enough for Zuko, who raced in and disturb my sleep. Insisting it couldn't wait until morning, I got up to face him.

I got a good look at him in his military uniform. Even with all the glory, his fists were clenched and his body trembled tightly. "You seemed so worried about how Father would treat you because you haven't captured the Avatar," I replied, nonchalantly eyeing him up and down, "I figured if I gave you the credit, you'd have one less thing to worry about. Call it a generous gesture, as I wanted to thank you for your help," I shrugged, glancing at my fingers and hoping to get him out of my room.

That only got Zuko even more volcanic, as he alleged that I was lying. The dim lights reflected off the fume on his face as I wandered away, deflecting his accusations. "What could I possibly gain by letting you get all the glory for defeating the Avatar? Unless, somehow, the Avatar was actually alive," I leaned into his face with a sneer.

Suddenly, the room grew deathly silent. I could catch Zuko's body twitching and his head dipping ever so slightly. "All that glory would suddenly turn to shame and foolishness," I continued, marching back to my bed, "But you said yourself, the Avatar surviving the attack was impossible." I cocked an eyebrow at Zuko just as his eyebrows curled to impossible shapes. Smirking, I dismissed the now-hesitant Zuko out of my room. "Sleep well, Zuzu," I taunted as he marched out my door.

As Zuko's shadow disappeared, I could only grin at the latest ingenious move. Right now, Zuko was all comfortable and enjoying his life back home, with Mai being his girlfriend and all the senior members of the Fire Nation military command chain giving him their utmost respect. But I had some doubts that the Avatar was truly slain in Ba Sing Se. Even as I shot him through with lightning, there was a chance that he might have survived. After all, some of our troops from the Siege of the North told me water benders had healing powers, so it was possible that the Avatar might not have died.

And it was due to this insecurity that I had to get Zuko involved. I was never a fan of people or events that didn't go my way, so if it couldn't be rectified immediately then I would find some contingency measure to help me keep my status. The perfect way here was to declare Zuko the Avatar slayer and taking the blame off of me should the Avatar be alive. After all, Father trusted me over Zuko, so even if I ever got in trouble for it, I'd say Zuko told me about the Avatar's death, and I merely received it by word of mouth.

As I turned to a more comfortable position, it also made me realize how powerful I was in the Fire Nation hierarchy. My words were so strong they could even convince the Fire Lord himself, letting me control anyone and do anything I pleased. Nobody could influence Father more than me, and I was the only one Father would listen to. With everything going through me, I could keep tabs on everyone, and severely punish those who refused to obey. With that happy thought in mind, I slowly drifted off to sleep.

By the time morning seeped through my blinds, my body was entirely refreshed. Even as I entered the dining hall for breakfast, I felt like all the attention was on me. I felt it was rightly so, given the fact that all these people were staring at a war hero here. As I took a seat, I asked the nearest servant, "Where's Zuko?"

The maid bowed and responded that Zuko was off to see Mai, and the two would be going on a picnic together. I could only nod thoughtfully as I pondered the outcomes of this pairing. While it did make them happier, Zuko and Mai together might put me in a slightly disadvantageous position. Knowing how strongly Zuko bonded with people, they might drift away from my sphere of influence, making them harder to contain. What's more, Zuko's bonds might return him to Uncle Iroh, perhaps visiting him in prison, and who knew what could be said between the two? Either way, I must keep an eye on them.

I climbed to the outskirts of the capital, near the rim of the caldera of this large extinct volcano, surrounded by rocks and mountains on every side. The tops of these peaks were usually a gathering spot for romantics to observe the sun, and apparently Zuko and Mai were among them. Just as the two lovebirds kissed, using language sappy enough to make me puke, I crashed their party. "Zuko, can I have a word with you?"

Zuko grimaced, not appreciating my presence. "Can't you see we're busy?" he rudely retorted, turning back to kiss Mai and completely ignoring me. The two were so focused on each other that I didn't matter to them anymore, even though I was the one and only reason they were branded as heroes when they returned from Ba Sing Se.

But like any good strategist, I had other options. Turning to Mai, I told her that Ty Lee required her assistance, effectively neutralizing the usually emotionless girl from the equation. Ty Lee and Mai were always my lackeys, and whenever I requested one to do something, there would be no defiance. As Mai wandered off, I had my brother all to myself. "So, I hear you've been visiting Uncle Fatso at the prison tower?" I asked. It was no good to get direct answers, so why not bait the hook and let Zuko bite it?

And just like old times, Zuko fell for it, hook, line, and sinker. Roaring that the prison guard betrayed him by telling me, I simply mocked him by retorting, "No, you just did." I savoured every moment of this victory as Zuko slumped back down, sitting on the ground with his back hunched and his head dropped between his knees. Just as I had predicted, Zuko and Mai were strong as a pair, but were weak when separated.

Crossing my arms, I insisted that I wasn't here to make further demands of Zuko, stating that I wanted nothing from him. "Believe it or not, I'm looking out for you. If people find out you've been to see Uncle, they'll think you're plotting with him. Just be careful, dumb-dumb!" I warned him, hoping to sway his mind.

Zuko didn't speak, but looking at his glum expression, I knew I got through to him. As long as Zuko doubted his relationship with Uncle Iroh, he would be kept in check. Personally, I felt strong bonds only hindered progress, as before every action Zuko would have to see if Uncle approved. Why couldn't things be like what Dad and I did, where we knew what to do and didn't hesitate in getting it done, regardless of the means? No matter what, I decided that it was best to keep Zuko guessing. As long as he had one strand of thought on Uncle, it would jeopardize the entire operation. With that in mind, I left Zuko alone and returned to the palace, hoping to sort more of these details out.

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"Okay, okay, calm down. I didn't mean what I said," I tried to reassure Ty Lee, who was on the verge of tears right now. It had been weeks since I last spoken with Zuko regarding Uncle Iroh, and now our father had other plans in mind. Realizing that it was the perfect time to proceed with the final stages of our war, he decided to meet with his closest advisors, and sent Zuko and me on a vacation to Ember Island with Mai and Ty Lee. While we were on the beach we met a couple of guys claiming to be children of Fire Nation nobles, and they invited the four of us to their party.

And that was where we found ourselves, loitering around the dining hall of this large beach house. People wandered back and forth, chatting with each other and grabbed food, with most in short-sleeved clothing and shorts. In an attempt to see how the world truly viewed us, I chose not to reveal my royal status, relegating myself to the role of an observer while Ty Lee had her flirtation mode on in full blast. And I had to admit, she was doing a much better job at getting attention than I did. That was why when she came to me stating that the boys clung to her, I had to tell her that they didn't really like her.

Apparently, that hit Ty Lee a tad too hard, causing her to pretty much burst into tears. Normally I would laugh at how weak Ty Lee was under her preppy exterior, but I had to admit I was intrigued by how Ty Lee did it. Ty Lee got the boys to flock to her almost effortlessly, and perhaps I was a bit envious at all the attention she got. "Maybe I said it because I was a little jealous," I explained, whispering the very last word.

The sad expression on Ty Lee's face was wiped off completely, her formerly scrunched up face replaced with her jaw hitting the wooden floor below. "What? You're jealous of me? But you're the most beautiful, smartest, most perfect girl in the world!" she responded incredulously, her arms waving up and down.

I was glad she pointed out all my traits, as everybody should, but that wasn't what I sought. "For some reason, when I meet boys, they act as if I'm going to do something horrible to them," I described, turning around and gazing at all the males in the room. I tried several times to start a conversation with the boy that invited us here, a teenager around my age by the name of Chan. It was to no avail, as he either didn't understand me or he didn't care. What was wrong with complimenting his sharp outfit by saying it could puncture the hull of an Empire class Fire Nation battleship?

Ty Lee smiled and shook her head. "If you want a boy to like you, just look at him, smile at him a lot, and laugh at everything he says, even if it's not funny," she instructed me. At first, I thought it was shallow and stupid, but if it meant breaking out of my usual mould and actually meeting someone new, then it was worth a try.

After a quick practice run with Ty Lee, I was ready to delve into the issue of talking with boys again. Locating Chan, I requested a tour of his parents' house, cutting short his chat with another girl. Placing my drink on the girl's head, I wandered off with my host, listening to his every word and stretching a grin so far across my face that I felt my cheeks would rip. In fact, I was surprised that I managed to get to the balcony alive.

We leaned on the railing, away from the stuffy party and loud people. There was nothing but night sky, the sandy beach, and waves gently splashing ahead of us. For a moment, the scene truly made me forget my role as a royal, and allowed me to integrate with those below my status. Most of the time, anything less than putting these inferior folks in their place would be the norm, but given what Ty Lee had said, maybe I should try enjoying it instead? After all, there were no boys of royal descent that I could speak with on a regular basis, so perhaps being second best would do.

Looking to my right, I saw Chan casually lean his back against the rail. "Is this your first time on Ember Island?" he asked, "It's a great place, if you like sand!"

Believe it or not, I actually found myself laughing to his joke. It wasn't just because I was taking Ty Lee's advice; rather, I actually found Chan a funny guy. I was giggling along to his every attempt to poke fun at the environment, almost like he was advertising how sandy this place was. "Welcome to Sandy Land!" he declared.

By the time he was done, we were both roaring in laughter as I tried not to split my sides open. Glancing at the boy right next to me, I truly felt what Ty Lee was talking about. It wasn't about being royalty, it was about enjoying the company here. My eyes fell to his sleeveless shirt, revealing the chiselled limb before me. "Your arm looks so strong," I commented, my mind in a semi-trance as the smiling face came closer.

Before long, I found myself kissing the boy. What was considered taboo by my usual routine suddenly felt very normal, as I didn't feel the need to reject Chan. It was like my lips were attracted to his, letting our faces meld into one as we held onto each other. My face was flushed, the warmth from the kiss lingering even as he pulled away from me. Still with his goofy grin, Chan responded to my compliment. "You're pretty."

Realizing the mutual attraction, I decided to take it a step further. "We will be the strongest couple in the entire world. We will dominate the earth!" I shouted, lighting two blue flames from my hands. Nothing was going to stop us now.

But that seemed to have the opposite effect on Chan, who shivered slightly and slowly scooted away. I could only fume as the boy sneaked back into the house and once again immersed himself within the crowd. "Coward," I fumed. Still, being around him was fun, and I truly hoped, after the war was over and we slaughtered all those Earth Kingdom pigs, I could return here with Chan and toast our great nation's victories.

By the time I returned to the party, it was sheer pandemonium. Any thought I still had on the romantic moment with Chan was shattered as Zuko was unceremoniously tossed from the party. As my brother slammed the door on his way out, I could see Chan in the middle of the room, trying to control his seething anger as a pile of debris were at his feet. My eyes tilted around, catching Mai fuming with her arms crossed while Ty Lee looking nervous. "What happened?" I asked my acrobatic friend.

Ty Lee quickly filled me in, claiming that Zuko erupted at a guest who knocked over his food, which he fetched for Mai. Then, when he saw Ruon-Jian, Chan's friend, speaking with Mai, Zuko immediately confronted him and threw him across the room. Ruon-Jian ended up landing on a vase belonging to Chan's grandmother, causing Chan to throw Zuko out of the party. Sensing tempers flaring between Mai and Zuko, I decided that we would leave as well. "It's time that the three of us had a chat with my brother."

While Ty Lee and Mai gathered at a secluded location at the beach, I went to fetch Zuko. In my mind, there was only one place that he would be: our family beach house, which we hadn't stayed in for years. The stench of years of unclean materials locked away inside shot through my nose as I made out Zuko's figure standing there, holding some small trinket. Why was it not surprising that my brother was so nostalgic? "Come down to the beach with me," I suggested, "Come on, this place is depressing."

I took Zuko to where Ty Lee and Mai were. Zuko tried to greet Mai, who responded by crossing her arms and whipping her head away. Ty Lee tried to change the subject by claiming it was chilly in the most chipper voice possible, but it was evident the tension hadn't gone away. Even as Zuko quickly strolled back to the beach house and hauled out some old materials to be used as firewood, emotions were still flying high.

By now, I was back to my usual self, analyzing my counterparts and trying to gauge their every word. Ty Lee, as usual, had to be chipper and tried to start a talk with Zuko, who just hurled our last family portrait along with some other goods into a fire he created through fire bending. When Ty Lee asked if Zuko still cared about family, it only sent Zuko into a rage. "You don't know me, so why don't you mind your own business?" he ranted at the former circus performer, "You're stuck in your little Ty Lee world, where everything is great all the time. Circus freak!" he yelled, tearing a strip into Ty Lee.

My eyes then tilted to Ty Lee, who was usually quite docile. That was why, when she actually tried to defend herself, I was taken aback, but also quite amused. "I joined the circus because I was scared to spend the rest of my life as a matched set. At least I'm different now. Circus freak is a compliment!" she retorted, glaring at my brother.

I cocked an eyebrow, surprised that Ty Lee would actually take anything in a negative sense. But what became more amusing was when Mai intervened, claiming that it was Ty Lee's thirst for attention that drove her to act this way. "You couldn't get enough attention when you were a kid, so you try to make up for it now," she stated.

Hearing that remark, I was quite impressed by her observation skills. Mai was quite quiet in her childhood, which actually served well strategically. But just being observational wasn't enough, as one must take advantage of the knowledge one gained through observing. Given that Mai had no skills in expressing or advancing herself, it was evident that she too was a failure. "That's why you're afraid to care about anything, and why you can't express yourself," I told her, referring to her parents' controlling natures.

And again, my comment touched a nerve, as it was Mai's turn to blow up at someone. First, she railed at me for not leaving her alone, and then she turned her shots to Zuko, as she claimed she still hadn't forgiven him for his actions. "Don't touch me, I'm still mad at you. There's no excuse for the way you've been acting," Mai snapped.

Now it was Zuko's turn to rant about the wrongs in his life. It was so predictable when he described how Father burned him in the face and banished him, forcing him through so much turmoil and hardship. But then, when it came to describe his return to the Fire Nation, he dropped a minor bombshell on us. "I should be happy for returning, but I'm not! I'm angrier than ever and I don't know why," he declared, his fists clenched.

Pursing my lips, I was determined to find out more about this. I still needed my brother for future plans, and the last thing that should happen was to turn him into a loose cannon. "Who are you angry at?" I demanded, casting a suspicious eye at him.

Surprisingly, Zuko became more and more flustered, not knowing what he felt or why he felt that way. Even as Mai, Ty Lee and I listed off name after name, there was no sure answer from him. Finally, just when his body seemed like it was about to explode, he slammed his fists down and cried to the skies, "I'm angry at myself!"

The large burst of flame ignited our fire to incredible heights, the heat scorching the entire area. Zuko could only hunch his back and face the sea, his body conceding to his own confusion as the fire simmered to nothing. "I'm not sure I know the different between right and wrong anymore," he muttered, his head shaking helplessly.

There was complete silence as I pondered those words. For some strange reason, the combination of Zuko's line and the party before where Chan and I kissed brought back a little-considered memory, one of my mother. While it was no secret that Dad was favouring me, it was just as obvious that Mom had favoured Zuko. Many times, during my taunts at Zuko, Mom would come up to chide me. But never in my mind did I imagine her true thoughts when one day, she said the unthinkable. "You're a monster."

My thought was cut short when Zuko and Mai made up, and in turn taunted me for being overly perfect. As usual, I had to assert the obvious, but somewhere in my mind that line just refused to go away. True, I hadn't been the perfect child in my mother's eyes, and I had done some things that she disapproved, so why did she have to go out of her way to make that statement? Moreover, why was it that, even as I tried to push on with my life, using all the skills I picked up from Dad and making it to a position of power, this line still haunted me? Was it true that my superiority actually showed a flaw of sorts? Why did it have to be that some things could never go my way?

I quickly shook the thought out of my head as I faced the group. "Know what would make this trip really memorable?" I asked, rubbing my hands in glee. I wasn't too impressed that Chan, my so-called boyfriend, threw us out of the party, and it was fine time that I showed him some manners. Since he trashed my royalty status, I was going to get even by trashing his house. "Let's go, my friends," I exclaimed, pointing at the house.

As I climbed the stairs to Chan's place, my mother's image slowly disappeared from my mind. I wasn't about to let that hassling woman be a factor in future decisions. I had a war to plan, and any signs of weakness, embodied so visibly by her, must be taken out. Once vacation was over, it was time to get extra tough on our enemies.

________________________________________

"So you're alive after all. But it doesn't matter, I've known about the invasion for months," I sneered at the three figures before me. It was truly odd that I was here in an underground bunker during a solar eclipse, facing a person many thought was dead. But nonetheless, here was the Avatar, alive and well, invading the Fire Nation with his two friends, his earth bending teacher Toph, and the Water Tribe warrior Sokka. They lost to me once before in that deserted town, now they believed they could take me on again?

As I stared down my foes standing down between two aisles of pillars, I realized that I had their water bending friend Katara to thank. Had it not been for her thinking that I was a Kyoshi Warrior and revealing this plan to me, I would have never known about this sneak attack. Luckily, I warned Dad about it, and he immediately ordered a full-scale evacuation. With the exception of Zuko and I, and a legion of top guards, nobody was to know where the Fire Lord was. Even War Minister Qin, our closest advisor, was told that he would be in this chamber where I stood. And apparently, the Avatar's group bought this story, and found themselves face to face with me. "Where's the Fire Lord?" our bald friend demanded, his anxiety-laced voice echoing off the walls.

I rolled my eyes. I knew that during a solar eclipse, fire bending would be useless, so the best I could do for now was to stall for time. "You mean I'm not good enough for you? You're hurting my feelings," I stated, gesturing melodramatically at the threesome.

Sokka, to the Avatar's right, brandished his black sword, claiming that I was in no position to bargain thanks to the eclipse. To the Avatar's other side, the earth bender Toph, in her awkward hat, demanded no lies from me, as she claimed she could detect a liar. Cocking an eyebrow, it was time I settled the two in their places. "Are you sure?" I challenged her, testing her technique with my skills. "I'm a four hundred foot tall purple platypus bear with pink horns and silver wings," I stated nonchalantly.

I could see the earth bender's expression change from stubborn firmness to total defeat. Her entire body deflated as she conceded her point. "Okay, you're good, I admit it." What a fool, thinking she could outsmart me. Didn't she know that I was an expert at this, given my years of having to deal with those challenging my power?

Brushing myself off, I merely snapped my fingers. "When I was at Ba Sing Se, I brought home some souvenirs: Dai Li agents." Just as I concluded, two Dai Li members dropped from the rocky ceiling and to the ground. Looks of fear crossed my opponents' faces as they recognized the prospect of having to face the most elite earth benders.

Before long, the Avatar made the first move, sending a jet of air towards me. I barely flinched as the Dai Li created a wall of rock, blocking anything on the spot. Even as Aang leaped above the rocks while Toph blasted through with her own earth bending, I saw no need for alarm, as the main point right now was to bide for time. Somersaulting in the air just as the earth bending girl sent a line of rocks up my feet, I landed right back at the end of the room, sitting comfortably on my throne-like chair. Even without my fire bending, the Dai Li could handle everything by keeping the Avatar's group at bay.

But there was one slip-up by the Dai Li, as they couldn't match the Avatar for speed. Being an air bender, I recalled that they could increase their speed by manipulating the air around them. As his allies kept one agent at bay, Aang propelled himself towards me, slashing through the final rock barrier set up by the second Dai Li member and sending him to the ceiling with a pillar of his own. Soon, I was met with air slice after air slice, putting me on the defensive. "Why are these Dai Li agents so pathetic at keeping them at bay?" I muttered to myself, "Oh well, let's send them on a wild-goose chase."

I barely escaped as the Avatar sent a jet of air and totalled the chair completely. Racing down the rocky cavern, I weaved, dodged, and even did somersaults around each pillar, never going in a straight line as I aimed for the exit. I knew my fair share of evasive manoeuvres, and though fire bending rarely required me to use them, this was a perfect time to demonstrate them. Last battle, offence drove me to victory, as it left Uncle Iroh wounded and the others dazed and confused. This time, it would be defence leading the way, as I avoided all their attacks with the assistance of the Dai Li agents.

Just as I barged through into the rocky passages outside, the Water Tribe warrior held his friends back. "Don't you see what she's doing? She's just playing with us. She's not even trying to win this fight!" he exclaimed, grabbing onto Aang and Toph. Sokka placed a hand on Toph's shoulder, trying to calm her down as he suggested that his group ignored me. "We don't have a choice. We just have to get out of here and find the Fire Lord on our own somehow." With that, they turned to leave.

I smirked, somewhat impressed that they managed to figure out my strategy with time still left in their eclipse. But I was sure they would be no match for my ultimate weapon: mind games. "So, Sokka's your name, right? My favourite prisoner used to mention you all the time!" I declared, referring to the leader of the Kyoshi Warriors. Before she was taken to a high-security prison called Boiling Rock, I heard from some jail guards that she knew Sokka personally, so it was the perfect time to take advantage of this. "She was convinced you were going to come rescue her. Of course, you never came, and she gave up on you!" I finished with a flourish, realizing the reaction was imminent.

Within seconds, I was pinned to the wall, my hand which held a blade earlier now wrapped tightly onto the stones as Toph bound me to place. I could see Sokka's face, his cheeks clenched and hot breath hissing through his teeth. Tears threatened to spill from his eyes as he demanded through gritted teeth, "Where is Suki?"

I said nothing, merely grinning at him. The more time he wasted on me, the less time he had for the eclipse. Even if I were to escape with some cuts and bruises, all of which unlikely thanks to my contingency plan, it would all be worth it. The Fire Nation had developed a set of deadly weapons, and they were about to rain fire on the invasion team outside. I would like to see how our warrior boy reacted when he found out that it was their blood on his hands because he spent too much time on me. "Where is Suki? Answer me!" Sokka roared, his voice slicing into my ears, "Where are you keeping her?"

Again, my lips were pursed. Sokka's voice echoed down each hallway, his cries of anguish music to my ears as I counted down the time. Except for Aang and Toph pleading that stopped, there was still no sound coming from both tunnels. Either way, I knew they were running out of time. I couldn't help but think about the glory for me when I not only thwarted the intruders, but it was my information that led to such a great defence of our capital city. Why couldn't Zuko learn something like that?

Speaking of Zuko, he had been behaving strangely for the last little while. Ever since we returned from Ember Island, he had been acting like he didn't really know what to do. The most interesting one was at the previous war meeting, his first since returning from exile. Father seated him close to the front, and even let him discuss his findings. When he told us of the Earth Kingdom's stubborn pride, Father and I decided that the best way to deal with it was to crush it at all costs. I was quite close to the front as well, so I caught a glimpse of Zuko's expression. It almost seemed like he was hesitant, perhaps even fearful, of Dad's suggestion to raze the Earth Kingdom to the ground. Had three years of exile with his tea-loving kookiness made Zuko go softer than a wet noodle?

A sizzling sound from down the hall alerted me to the presence of the sun. "Looks like fire bending is back on," I taunted. Within seconds, I placed a well-aimed kick right at Sokka, sending him off of me and sprawling to the ground. The earthen shackles were no match for my fiery blue flames, as I made quick work of them. Turning to the tunnel that would take me out of the bunker, I merely told him Dad's location. "I'm sure he would be more than happy to see you now." With that, I raced off for the exit.

I climbed out of the bunker just in time to see five huge airships take to the skies. In the past, our ancestors hadn't mastered the skies, giving some groups, especially the Air Nomads, some advantage. Now, it was all complete, as with land, sea, and air, the Fire Nation would reign supreme in the end. I managed to board a final airship before it lifted off, getting into the air just in time to see bombs sail through the skies. Watching the invasion force helplessly retreating, my body swelled with pride. With even the most ardent group of invaders surrendering, nothing could stop the Fire Nation now.

________________________________________

"This is a guard who has been involved in a feeble escape attempt," the warden told me, his head dipped to the ground while he rubbed his hands nervously. When I had heard that war prisoners and traitors were discovered in the Boiling Rock, the maximum security prison located on an island in the Fire Nation, I was determined to investigate firsthand. Knowing that the warden was also Mai's uncle, I decided to bring Mai and Ty Lee along. Besides, there was something here that Mai should probably see.

The seated suspect half-pleaded and half-ranted at me, insisting that he didn't plan the escape, all the while Mai's uncle tried to silence him. I crossed my arms and shifted my eyes between warden and suspect. The Fire Nation's prisons were to follow orders directly from the palace, meaning anyone disobeying would be subject to the Fire Lord's wrath. Knowing that order and obedience were so important, would this feeble guard, who probably got this job via overwhelming patronage and service, throw his career away like that, all because someone wanted to escape?

Looking back at Mai's uncle, who was even more pathetic than his brother-in-law, the governor at New Ozai, the former semi-autonomous Earth Kingdom state of Omashu, I told him to stop wasting his time. "That's not one of them," I concluded, turning around to leave the room. Waving to Ty Lee, I decided that we moved on.

The warden, still confused by my words, chased after me, asking how I would know so quickly. "Why? Because I'm a people person," I retorted, rolling my eyes and continuing my march forward. How hard was it to predict human nature? If you gave a person what they wanted, and threatened to take that away every time they didn't do as they were told, could they afford not to listen to you? With that in mind, there was only one way to do things. That was the Fire Lord's way, soon to be my way.

Speaking of that topic, I couldn't help but switch my mind to Zuko. After the eclipse, he defected from the Fire Nation and joined the Avatar. Mai found out about this firsthand when she picked up his letter at her bedroom as we exited the bunkers after the botched invasion. Mai came with us after hearing that Zuko was found in the Boiling Rock, and while I wasn't worried about my inferior brother's defection, I was concerned that his bonds to Uncle Iroh might cause him to do this. I realized Zuko still saw Uncle quite often, and I figured the kooky old fool must have said something to spark the move.

Before we could even reach the interrogation room where they kept Zuko, a nearby guard rushed up to us stating that a riot had occurred. We hurried to the nearest balcony and glanced out at the yard. The prisoners were located at the moment and sheer mayhem was taking place. I knew some idiot must have fallen for the escape group's trap. "This is eerily reminiscent of something the Avatar's group members would do," I muttered to Ty Lee, scanning the crowd for any suspicious or out-of-place individuals.

A red blur zipped through the crowd, climbing up the tower in acrobatic fashion. Her moves would put Ty Lee here to shame as she took out a couple of bumbling guards and snatched the warden on the other side of the balcony. "There's no way out for them other than the gondola," I pointed at the wires leading to the cliff, "Let's go, Ty Lee."

By the time we hurried to the boarding station, the gondola already left, with the main handle bar of the controls snapped off to prevent the cab from being stopped. The guards around us, in their kowtows, should probably keep their heads down, as they should be ashamed for being so incompetent. Time for them to watch pros at work.

Snatching a pair of handcuffs from a nearby guard, I rushed to the edge and leaped into the air. Using fire bending from my feet as a propellant, I shot to the overhead wire of the gondola. Above me, Ty Lee already scaled the wire, and was using her acrobatic skills to run to the lumbering cab. Realizing the speed advantage, I clamped the handcuffs tightly onto the wire and unleashed a huge blast of flames behind me. The view around me was a blur as I hurtled to the gondola, my prey right in my line of sight.

I was met with the resistors as Ty Lee and I landed on the cab. Zuko, Sokka, and Suki, leader of the Kyoshi Warriors, climbed out from the bottom to face me. Ty Lee had Suki all to herself, leaving me with my treacherous brother and the Water warrior. Not a single person moved as we stared each other down, the hot and humid atmosphere and the windless environment making me more uncomfortable. Still, the elements were only part of the battle, as there were other ways to finish off these inferior fools.

Taking the initiative, I started with a wide sweep kick, aiming my flames low to knock them off balance. With the dangling gondola above boiling water, anyone falling off would be cooked alive. As the fire raced towards them, Zuko got in front, splitting it down the middle with a knife of orange. For Zuko to increase his skill level this quickly, not only avoiding, but breaking apart my fire, I found that surprising.

I unleashed more shots at Zuko and Sokka, but it was getting more difficult than I anticipated. The two moved as one, often alternating positions and never letting one shot hit. Zuko brushed my every shot aside, putting me back on the defensive as Sokka pulled out his sword and took a swing at me. Every punch I sent out was the same result, with a ball of orange fired my way followed by a swing of black blade. My mind was getting a bit flustered. Why could I not land a single hit, especially against two inferior foes?

Just then, my momentary lapse in judgment nearly made me pay a price, as the tip of Sokka's sword dangerously passed by my face. Reeling back to avoid the hit, Zuko unleashed another series of fire bombs, throwing me back completely. I could feel myself in freefall as my body hurtled off the cab, my arms reaching for the edge. Should I slip up here, I would be thrown into the volcano crater for sure.

But as much as they fought a tag-team battle, they forgot their foe was the most skilled fire bender in the world. My hands clutched onto the railing at the last second, my arms straining as I balanced the weight of my whole body sticking out horizontally from the cab. Gritting my teeth, I felt my hatred for them increasing evermore as they taunted my position. As long as I was around, nobody could get away making a mockery out of me. Curling my legs, I swung them underneath and kicked them forward, sending the largest blast yet. It shook the entire cab, swinging and tilting the gondola even more. If I wasn't going to prevent an escape, then I wasn't going to make it easy for them either.

Before anyone could make another move, the gondola lurched violently, almost like it would tear off from the wires above. We all halted our battles and teetered gingerly on the roof, looking around frantically as we tried to figure out what was going on. I turned around to look back at the tower, watching the guards as they struggled to hold the gondola's movements. Ty Lee, meanwhile, hopped onto the top wire again. Just like me, she saw the team bring out a huge saw. "They're about to cut the line!" she exclaimed.

I glanced around nervously, realizing there was no escape route for Ty Lee and me. Glancing around, I saw a parallel set of wires for the other gondola to come down. And as luck would have it, the other gondola was coming straight for us. I took one last look at our gondola, with Zuko trying to save Sokka from falling while Suki looked on in confusion, and decided to let the guards present them with the inevitable. "Then it's time to leave," I declared, jet-blasting off the cab with my feet.

Ty Lee followed suit, somersaulting away from the doomed gondola and landing with me on the roof of the one returning to the Boiling Rock. I looked on in pride as my plan succeeded, eliminating a traitor and three very dangerous invaders all at once. Was there even a thought in their minds that they could escape here? Sure, Mai's uncle would lose his life as well, but it was a small sacrifice for the greater good of the country. In my mind, he should be proud that he would die a hero's death, considering how this escape plan was hatched while the prison was under his watch.

Then, as suddenly as the gondola stopped moving, it went on its way again, taking the prisoners further away from the Boiling Rock. I could only look on in shock as the one allowing the escape was none other than Mai, who sent a flurry of blades out from her and pinned all the guards, preventing anyone from approaching the machine. "What is she doing?" I hissed through clenched teeth.

Mai continued on for a couple more minutes before she was blindsided from the back, a guard quickly pouncing on her and ripping the projectiles from her arms. As my former friend was pinned, a millions thoughts raged through my head. Since when did Mai started acting like Zuko and disobeyed the orders? Did she not know of the results if she continued this act? After all I had provided for her and her family, letting them be the new Fire Nation colony's governor, was this an appropriate way to pay me back?

Hopping off the cab, I marched up to the nobleman's daughter, a fume etched on my face. I dismissed the guards and scanned Mai up and down. Standing alone before me, she was surprisingly defiant, her back straight and her eyes staring right at me. It only made my blood boil even hotter than the waters that I nearly fell into earlier. "I never expected this from you," I spat. While I wanted to tear Mai apart, I was also curious to know her reasoning. "Why would you do it? You know the consequences!"

I could see Mai swallow hard, but her words spoke volumes. "I guess you just don't know people as well as you think you do," she responded, her tone monotonous as usual, "You miscalculated. I love Zuko more than I fear you," she concluded.

A million fire bombs slammed into me at once. All the years I spent reaching to her, influencing her family, and downright ordering her to do my bidding, never in my life did I believe it would fall flat. And of all people she swapped me for, it was for my idiot brother? "No, you miscalculated! You should have feared me more!" I roared. I got into my lightning bending stance, ready to hurl a bolt through her. Mai was no different than the enemy, and the only punishment suitable for her now was death by electrocution.

But no lightning shot out of my hands. In fact, I couldn't move my body at all, as a series of jabs to various parts paralyzed me completely. I fell to the ground in a heap, my face and morale never been lower as Ty Lee stood above me. I thought one friend betraying me wasn't enough, but now a second one ditched me as well? Hadn't Ty Lee forgotten that I was the one who pulled her from obscurity in the circus, allowed her to join my quest to capture the Avatar and Zuko, and made her a war hero? What goal was she trying to serve by siding with Mai? "You're both fools!" I hissed just as guards came to apprehend the twosome before they escaped as well.

As guards lifted me to my feet, I stared hatefully at the two girls. Even those that I trust the most turned on me, all for some friendship with traitors. What was so important about these bonds? The only person they ought to bond with was one that was superior to them, offering them a higher position in life, and gave them titles and honour. "Take them somewhere I'll never have to see their faces again," I ordered, "And let them rot!"

The guards all bowed to me and took them away, leaving me to seethe in my anger. As of today, I was convinced that not a single soul could be trusted, and the one that I had to destroy was Zuko. He was the sole reason why my life was ruined, and he turned my friends against me. Should I ever find him, he wouldn't be spared.

________________________________________

"What am I holding?" I demanded, waving the small, hard, round object before my maid's face. It was the day in which Sozin's comet would be closest to our world, and my father had taken the initiative to carry out the final phase of his plan. Amassing a fleet of elite airships, he planned to use enhanced fire bending to raze the Earth Kingdom, and proclaiming himself the Phoenix Lord, ruler of the entire world.

But while he became supreme ruler, there must still be someone to take care of the Fire Nation throne, and his choice couldn't be better: me. And that was where I found myself, seated at the dressing room where maids scrubbed my feet, combed my hair, and prepared me for coronation. While I did request for a plate of cherries, I never realized that there would be someone bold enough to imbed this object inside the fruit. As I glared at the servant, she meekly replied, "A cherry pit."

"So please, tell me why, on the most important day of my life, you've decided to lump it in my cherry?" I retorted, flinging the object into her face, "Do you realize what would have happened if I didn't sense the pit in time?" Being the new Fire Lord, I was none too pleased that there would be attempts on my life already. That was why, in my opinion, nobody could be trusted, not until Dad returned.

The pathetic girl got to her knees and begged for forgiveness, hoping that I would let her go. In my mind, this ridiculous scene just got sorrier, especially when she thought about who she was in the hierarchy ladder. Would someone like her really make a good leader of the Fire Nation, even if I choked on the pit? Rolling my eyes, I dismissed the maid, declaring that she would be banished. It wasn't so much a generous gesture, but a way to get this idiot out of my face. As she backed out of the room, her head rightfully bowed in shame, I ordered the others back to work. "I won't have my first day as Fire Lord marred by poor foot hygiene," I commanded, wiggling my toes in emphasis.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, these morons were finally done. I swore nobody was reliable nowadays. As I marched to the throne room, waiting for the Fire Sages to call me up, a cocktail of thought swirled in my head. I had no idea what the Avatar's group was up to, or where Zuko was now. I pursued him to the Western Air Temple, and ordered the airship fleet to blow the place to bits. But instead of turning tail like the little coward that he was, he charged out to battle me in between two airships.

And by some stroke of luck, he managed to survive, breaking his fall when the Avatar's Sky Bison caught him. Seriously, if ludicrous people like the Avatar could be more reliable than my own servants, what did that tell me? For starters, it showed me the palace staff could not be trusted. But also, it meant Zuko had gained the upper hand, to the point where he could manipulate those around him to help him gain power. It stunned me as to how someone that sentimental and mushy could do anything effectively.

I plopped down on the throne, taking a good look at my surroundings. It was dark all over, with the flames barely flickering before me. In one shot, I changed the colour to blue, just to better suit my style. Despite being ready for coronation, I still didn't feel so comfortable, as I wondered who or what would jump out from where to attack me. In the height of this unease, I decided to call in the Dai Li, hoping they could provide help.

As I waited for the elite earth bending team to arrive, I counted down the time in the completely silent room. Personally, I knew how powerful and stealthy some assassins were. They could creep up on me without any sound, and finishing their killing mission without leaving a trace of evidence. The Dai Li had that type of style, correct? They should know the risks of such a possibility, right? So what in the world was taking them so long to get here?

"You sent for us, Princess? Is everything alright?" The team leader's thick voice sliced through my thoughts. I looked up just in time to see the robed individuals kneeling on the ground before me. Just the thought of their tardiness made my blood boil.

"Everything is not alright. Do you know how long it took to get here?" I met their greeting with a rant of my own, "Five minutes, to be precise, in which time an assassin could have sneaked in, done away with me, and been on his merry way. Is this how you plan to treat your new Fire Lord?" I added, the flames around me starting to heat up. For their insolence, I already had punishments in mind for the entire team.

The team lead tried to reassure me, insisting that his team would never betray me. But of course, I heard that song and dance before. "And I'm sure that's just what you told Long Feng before you turned against him and joined me," I hissed. Knowing how easy it was for people even as tough as the Dai Li to switch allegiances, I had no choice but to remove them from the palace. "You're all banished!" I roared, pointing at the door.

The Dai Li soon made their way out, their tails between the legs as I fumed in anger. Nobody around here was trustworthy anymore, as they were all looking out for themselves. Even Lo and Li, my family's most loyal and closest advisors, and my hosts during the Ember Island vacation, couldn't get me to change my mind. They insisted that I postponed the coronation, probably using the delay to plot against me. Deciding that they too were a threat, I banished them too. "I'm going to my room. Don't anyone of you dare to do anything funny," I warned.

I finally returned to my chamber, locking the door behind me after entering. It was the one place I could still call my sanctuary, as nobody could really do anything in my private quarters. Plopping down before the mirror, I picked up a comb and tugged at my hair, hoping to make the final touches before I ascended the throne. It felt so good getting those knots out of my hair, as I recalled the times that this happened when I was young, especially when my mother was the one hurrying us to another important meeting. Placing down the comb, I grabbed the band to tie up my hair for the final time.

But for some reason, my front bangs kept falling down, no matter how I shifted them. "Oh, so even you're disobeying me?" I roared. Grabbing a pair of scissors, I aimed them at the confounding locks and clamped down. "It's time to face your doom!" With that, I sliced into the dark strands, cutting them down and hurling them to the ground.

As I glanced into the mirror, seeing the slightly messy but nonetheless shortened strands, a voice I thought I would never hear again appeared. "What a shame. You've always had such beautiful hair," my mother's voice echoed through the chamber.

I couldn't help but be taken aback. The door was locked, and nobody was allowed into the palace while the Phoenix Lord was out, so how did she get in here? Besides, she was supposed to be gone now, wasn't she? Gathering all my strength, I demanded, "What are you doing here?" I glared at the mirror, which showed so clearly her reflection.

Undaunted, my mother continued to speak in her soothing, almost hypnotic voice, stating that she didn't want to miss my coronation. For a while, I truly felt happy, as the one person who never accepted me decided to come at my moment of glory. But how did I know she wasn't here to manipulate me herself? Maybe she was here to sweet-talk me to submission. "Don't pretend to act proud," I spat, "I know what you really think of me. You think I'm a monster." I turned my head to the side, refusing to look at her.

But that didn't stop my fussbudget mother, who stated that I was merely confused throughout my life. "You've used fear to control people," she lectured, reminding me of all the times she defended Zuko, "Like your friends Mai and Ty Lee."

Zuko. Just the thought of this individual made me nauseated. Of all the times his biggest cheerleader had to show up, it had to be now. And for her to bring up Mai and Ty Lee, the two traitors, this was unacceptable. I didn't make a mistake, as it was the rest of the world that was mistaken. Feeling my heart rate increase, I rejected her every word. "Trust is for fools! Fear is the only reliable way. Even you fear me!" After all, that was why she uttered that I was a monster, right? Even my own mother feared me.

But instead of cowering and submitting to me, the shameless woman had to be all sweet. "I love you, Azula. I really do," she stated, fake-sincerity laced in her tone.

That was the end of the line, as I couldn't take it anymore. How could she not fear me? Was it because she felt she was superior? Or was it because I really was a monster? I was proud of who I was, but apparently that wasn't good enough in Mother's eyes. In pure frustration, I grabbed the brush and hurled it at the mirror, shattering it into a million pieces. The sooner I got my mother's face out of my head, the better.

But it did no good, as I was soon overcome with emotion. My tears involuntarily fell, dripping down both cheeks and splattering the carpet below. Was she right that all the years when I had Father's attention, I merely gained ground by being on his coattails, and that I never truly earned trust and respect? I was royalty, meaning I had the divine right to rule, so why was there an empty hole in my heart? Would there be people to see my coronation, and be proud of my new role? Still sobbing, I headed for the main square. While I was about to become Fire Lord, right now I felt like I was anything but one.

________________________________________

"You want to be Fire Lord? Fine, let's settle this. Just you and me, Brother," I told Zuko as he climbed off the Avatar's Sky Bison and stood defiantly before me. Everything went as planned, and I met up with the Fire Sages in the usual open area where past coronations had traditionally taken place. I got onto my knees while the lead sage recited the ancient coronation chant, ready to bestow the title of Fire Lord on me.

But what did we know? My obnoxious brother, who thwarted my every attempt to control him, and even made a mockery out of me back at the Western Air Temple, had to return and declared that he was the rightful heir to the throne. In a usual situation, this would be correct, but it was no ordinary time. With Father still on the battlefield, only a competent and gifted individual could lead the Fire Nation. When one compared me to Zuko, need one even think about who would win? Besides, Zuko was a traitor and an escaped fugitive, and those things alone negated whatever qualifications he had to be a true Fire Lord. He wanted to challenge for the throne? What a joke.

"It'll be the showdown that was always meant to be," I continued, staring down at him. Apparently, he struck a pretty good relationship with that Water Tribe girl Katara, as she accompanied him on this trip. But even with them both, I could take on them with no problem. After all, everybody feared me, since I had all the divine right in the world. "I challenge you to an Agni Kai, and the winner will be the new Fire Lord!"

But Zuko remained unfazed, claiming that he would accept my challenge. I could only snicker at him, wondering if he would get another burn on his face. Now that I took out my pathetic mother, he had no one to turn to should he lose. Did he truly expect that Katara to console him when I send a bolt of lightning through him? Water Tribe scum like her would never stay loyal, let alone see him through to the end.

Marching to one end of the large square, I removed my royal cloak, leaving me in my usual Fire Nation military uniform. "I'm sorry it had to end this way, Brother," I sent the first verbal jab at Zuko. In my mind, this was probably the angriest I had been, thanks to the presence of this despicable individual. Then again, I knew anger could strengthen fire bending, which would only work to my advantage. And with Sozin's Comet zinging past our skies, this match had already been decided. I looked across the square at Zuko, getting into a stance eerily similar to the one he demonstrated before Grandfather Azulon. He fell flat on his rear end that time, and I would make sure he fell even harder here.

Swinging my arms around, I gathered up my flames and hurled them at Zuko. The comet's powers surged through me as I felt fire that lit hotter, brighter, and fierier than ever before. Through the blue wall, I could see Zuko summon his own flames, meeting my attack with his orange line. The two blasts met each other in the middle, creating an atmosphere rivalling any summer day in the Fire Nation. Even though I knew I had the superior skill, I couldn't help but feel that Zuko had the upper hand here. It was like he was matching my every move, making it very difficult for me to penetrate through. "How is he doing it? He had never been this good before." I muttered to myself.

I unleashed a series of kicks, whipping out the fire in pure frustration. Zuko was way too calm here. Instead of cowering and fearing my better skills, he was fighting back with equal ferocity. It was almost like my mother was correct, in the sense that Zuko was one who never stopped fighting. "How could she be right? She was never right about anything. That's why she's no longer here and Dad is. So how can she be right?" I hissed, flailing my legs nonstop as blue fire emitted into every direction Zuko might be at.

For some strange reason, Zuko was still standing, batting down and slapping away my every shot. It didn't matter that the field was totally scorched, or that buildings near us were on fire. All that mattered to me was to defeat Zuko and everything he stood for right now. Mother, the Avatar's group, Uncle Iroh, everyone that Zuko had befriended was undermining me in some way. Even with all the power in the world, even with such superior bending arsenal, they still refused to submit to me and did things my way. I unleashed the largest jet of flames yet, towering over our heights as it rushed to Zuko.

The flames soon lost its momentum as a wall of orange slid past me, giving my defenceless side a slight scorching. There was no way that Zuko could have brushed down my flames with that much ease, returned a shot of his own, and made me lose momentum all at once. I was near hyperventilation as possibilities rushed past my head. I couldn't possibly lose to my brother, as Dad didn't choose me as his heir for nothing. With my anger on full, I unleashed a two-legged jet blast at Zuko.

And to my horror, not only did he block it perfectly, he shot his own blast back at me, with a twisting double fire bomb drilling through the air. I jumped out of the way just in time, completely miscalculating its speed and ferocity. This was a miscalculation that I couldn't have possibly made, so how had Zuko become this strong? Using my blue jets again, I propelled myself towards Zuko, hoping for a closer short-range battle. I still had agility on my side, so if I could run circles around him, maybe it would confuse him.

But I barely got two laps around him before I was rudely cut down, my body doing several rolls before slamming to the ground. Zuko's flames hitting me reminded me of how Dad scarred Zuko's face, as the fire crashed into his body and sent Zuko spinning off the battlefield. As I struggled to my feet, Zuko had the nerve to taunt me some more. "No lightning today? Afraid I'll redirect it?" he sneered.

His taunting had gone too far, and now I would give him the ultimate punishment. "I'll show you lightning!" I roared, feeling the sizzle through my fingers again. I could see Zuko stand straight, turning his right side towards me while stretching out his arms. I knew with the stance, he wasn't afraid of getting hit, meaning my last weapon would probably be ineffective. Glancing around, I suddenly caught glimpse of a figure in blue seated at the edge of the arena, and realized my luck hadn't run out after all.

Tilting slightly, I aimed the shot right at Katara, who was in no position to defend herself. As the lightning snaked its way to her, in almost slow motion Zuko leaped into the scene, stretching out his left hand and absorbing my hit. My face scrunched up in total agony as my brother took in my shot, hurling his body through the air and sending it into the red skies. My final weapon was lost, and even as Zuko convulsed violently on the ground, I knew my objective of truly beating my foe could never be met.

But it no longer mattered, as I was intent to bring them all down. Laughing manically, I shot blast after blast at Katara, preventing her from approaching Zuko. It was either she died from my fire first, or Zuko died from his wounds first. Not surprising at all, the Water Tribe lowlife turned tail and ran, which only made me more determined to pursue. As the lowly peasant hid behind a pillar, I unleashed flame after flame, all the while taunting my brother. "Zuzu, you don't look so good," I referred to the lack of help from Katara. What did I say? Zuko couldn't install fear into her, and she turned on him.

The lowlife water bender thought she could get past me by drenching the roof of each building with water, hoping to flush me out. But I knew better than that, as I already jetted off and positioned myself behind her. With flames and lightning blazing, I sent the coward on a chase around the square, with only a trail of frozen water manipulated out of a nearby sewer being the only sign of Katara as she skidded around desperately. I was throwing a wall of flame at her, so there would be no escape. Since she was part of the group that turned my world into ruin, now she would experience the same.

"There you are, you filthy peasant!" I roared as I landed before her. Katara was at the edge of another sewer, an appropriate place to dispose of her body once I was done with her. Getting into a lightning bending pose again, I lunged at her, ready to slice her through with the electricity. So long, you disgusting maggot, I thought.

But I couldn't make a move at all, as Katara pulled up a water dome, covering both our bodies in liquid. My eyes rolled around in confusion as the surroundings became cold, with Katara encasing me in ice. While I remained frozen and powerless, Katara managed to snake around me and wrap something around my hands. I couldn't do a thing as she pulled me down to the ground, my feeling of helplessness growing by the second as I heard several clicks. Whatever she was doing, I knew it would end the battle.

In one smooth motion, Katara lowered the water, leaving me chained onto a manhole with my hands immobile. I twisted and pulled, but the binds were locked up too well, to the point where all my efforts seemed pathetic. I hissed and grunted, unleashing flames from my mouth in frustration. All my glory shattered when I failed to defeat my brother, and now this lowly water bender was the one who placed me in my spot.

These chains would foreshadow my future, as Zuko would ascend the throne while I was sent away to an asylum. My domain was only as large as the four walls that surrounded me, a stark reminder of how my past life where I had everything was now diminished to nothing. I had everyone fearing me, obeying my every command and granting my every wish; now, all I had was darkness and dampness. There was nothing more than the echoes of my own voice that responded to my every order.

But perhaps it was for the best, as in here, I was finally secure. I would get what I needed to survive, and I would never be harmed. Mai, Ty Lee, Uncle Iroh, all those who had been with me before, they had to be out there in a world of instability, where mistrust would be present no matter how hard they tried. They were the ones suffering, not me. My mother always said trust and respect was more important than fear and spite, and how ironic it was I could only feel safest when I was trusted to not run away, and respected by my medical team who would monitor me every day. As I toiled away in here, I thought,

My name is Azula. That was my story. Those were my rites of passage.


	14. Ozai

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Each character grows up with a set of experiences unique to themselves. Watch each person describe what went through their minds and how they changed as they reacted to the world. These are their stories, these are their rites of passage.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: Michael DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko own Avatar.

My father sat stoically above my family, his eyes still as the flames around him shrouded his body. Like slaying a monster, my daughter Azula stepped up to him and took a stance. Azula was the pride of my family, the one that any Fire Lord would be proud of, even though she was a girl. Compared to my son Zuko, who was weak and incompetent, Azula could be a much better leader for our nation.

A fiery display soon replaced my thoughts, flames jetting out from Azula's arms and legs and spraying throughout the dim chamber. These were some of the moves that I personally requested Azula to be trained in, showcasing her true power in fire bending. Azula had actually surpassed Zuko in fire bending skill, reaching levels so high that no one at the Royal Fire Academy for Girls dared to compete against her. Given that Zuko was male, meaning he had easier access to training resources, what excuse did he have to be so pathetic at everything he did?

As Azula gained momentum, I could only beam as she prepared for her final move. There was no way my father would be unimpressed by this, given the amount of skill and practice required to pull it off. Zuko, my wife Ursa, and I all looked on as Azula spun around several times, racing towards the wall of fire as flames surrounded her body. Then, in one smooth motion, she leaped into the air and unleashed a high kick, sending a blast of flames so high that I could have sworn it hit the roof.

As Azula landed back onto the ground, I couldn't help but applaud. "She's a true prodigy, just like her grandfather, after whom she's named," I commented. Azula quickly shuffled back to my side, a grin on her face as well. We didn't request this audience with the Fire Lord for no reason, so during my time here, I wanted everything I could get my hands on. If it meant using flattery to get Father's attention, then so be it. As long as my whole family stuck to the script, my goals would be accomplished.

But as luck would have it, there would be an interruption. Azula's performance apparently struck a nerve with Zuko, who insisted that he demonstrated what he had been learning as well. I immediately frowned, realizing that my son could ruin everything. Earlier, I relegated him to the role of historical expert, asking him to recite some rather important dates in Fire Nation history. To no one's surprise, he failed to describe or explain any of the events I raised. Knowing that my father wasn't impressed by Zuko's poor performance, more demonstrations by my son was bound to tick him off.

And again, Zuko would make a fool out of himself before Fire Lord Azulon. He tried to mimic Azula's fire bending sequence, only to fall hard on his rear end not once, but twice. I could only purse my lips, my eyes alternating between my father and my son as Ursa approached Zuko. Personally, I felt one of the reasons why Zuko never developed into a master fire bender was because of his attachment to his mother. My wife was the type of Fire Nation noble that tended to worry more about domestic affairs, like family, rather than political roles, like climbing up the power hierarchy. While that had its advantages at home, now was not the time to act all motherly to Zuko. As she tried to comfort him, stating how his refusal to give in made her proud, I could only think about how weak that would make us look before my father.

My father soon made us realize how annoyed he really was when he insisted that my family left the chamber. "Prince Ozai, just tell me what you want. Everyone else, go!" he roared, waving his hand to my wife and children. Even as an old man, the fiery and iron-fisted techniques he employed throughout the years were still present here.

I waited until the doors had clicked shut before turning back to my father. From my childhood onward, I knew Fire Lord Azulon was a stern man, instilling strictness and strong discipline on my brother and me. He didn't hesitate to use force on use when we disobeyed him, and even today I feared him slightly. But the good news was that it let me in on some very important techniques for ruling a country: always use fear, and no force was too much when it came to disciplining people. That was why, for my current case, I had to be very careful if I wanted to leave here with any sort of victory.

Taking a deep breath, I stated my proposal. "Father, you must have realized, as have I, that with Lu Ten gone, Iroh's bloodline has ended," I began, referring to my older brother Iroh and his son Lu Ten. Iroh was a highly skilled and experienced Fire Nation general that led our troops to battle the Earth Kingdom stronghold and capital Ba Sing Se. He laid a siege outside the heavily fortified walls of the Earth Kingdom capital for six hundred days before he abruptly ended it a few weeks ago. The story was that his son Lu Ten had been killed in battle, causing Iroh so much grief that he no longer had the will to continue the fight. I wasn't surprised at his sentimental side, but I was shocked at the consequences, as Iroh was reported not to have joined the returning troops.

But that meant more time for me to take advantage of the situation by proceeding with my plan. "But I am here, Father, and my children are alive." I knew that as a Fire Lord, my father's duties included sustaining the bloodline, meaning there was a good chance he would be open to this idea. Garnering up all my energy, I had to make this as good for him as it would be for me. "Revoke Iroh's birthright. I am your humble servant, here to serve you and our nation. Use me!" I declared, kowtowing fully before him.

By the time I lifted my head, I could tell my plan backfired. The flames around me blasted in sequence as Fire Lord Azulon unleashed his anger on me. "You dare suggest I betray Iroh, my firstborn, directly after the death of his beloved son?" he yelled at me, his fume shooting clearly through the wall of flames as he pointed an accusing finger at me, "I think Iroh has suffered enough, but your punishment has scarcely begun!"

I wouldn't even be given a chance to speak, as Fire Lord Azulon would continue his rant. "Your punishment should fit your crime," he continued, his tone laced with poison and bitterness, "You must know the pain of losing a firstborn son by sacrificing your own." I could only glance up as my father's decision was final. Nothing short of Zuko's death would satisfy him, after what I had offered earlier.

I bowed slightly before backing out of the chamber, realizing that the stakes had now been raised to insurmountable heights. Of course, I didn't come to the Fire Lord's chamber completely unprepared, as there was a contingency plan. I knew that, at his advanced age, Fire Lord Azulon was nearing the end of his years. Even though he was a picture of health, there was no telling what accidents might occur. Should I be rejected by him, I could always make an attack on his life a priority, leading me to victory and giving me the birthright to the throne, should Iroh not return to challenge me.

But now, knowing that Zuko's blood must be spilt in order to satisfy his sadistic, bloodthirsty side, I had no choice but to take this final step. If Father truly wanted blood, then blood would be what he got, and my wife and I were to make sure of it. Making a mental note to myself, I hurried to the living quarters, hoping to find Ursa to discuss this plan with her. Knowing the throne was on the line, we couldn't possibly mess this up.

________________________________________

"You can't sacrifice an entire division like that!" my thirteen-year-old son Zuko roared at the general presenting our latest war plan. It had been several years since I took over as Fire Lord, and I decided that it was time to finish off what my ancestors had started, and wiped out the Earth Kingdom for good. Summoning my top generals, we had this meeting to decide on the next course of action, which would involve tackling some very skilled defenders at various parts of the Earth Kingdom.

My top general was about to make a suggestion where a battalion of younger, less experienced troops would be used as a distraction for the more experienced ones to ambush the earth benders from the other side. But before he could finish his explanation, Zuko interrupted him, apparently not sitting well with the idea. "Those soldiers love and defend our nation, so how can you betray them?" he ranted. Nobody expected my son to join the meeting, as everyone knew that Azula was the competent one in my family. Now that my wife Ursa was no longer with us, Zuko had no one to hide behind when he had his sentimental whines, so I merely instructed all my generals to ignore him.

But true to the way Ursa described him, Zuko wasn't about to give up. He kept going on about how these soldiers had families, and we shouldn't send them to their deaths without considering what it would mean to their loved ones. Soon enough, this foolish boy started getting on my nerves. It was not his place to speak, given that these were top military commanders, and he had no right to challenge those with superior skill than his. Moreover, even had I given him the floor, it was not for discussing trivial things like family. This only proved to be an embarrassment to me, given how a Fire Lord had no time for sentimentality. "Silence," I sliced in, "You have made me very angry!"

I seethed as the flames around me burned higher and hotter, my situation eerily similar to that of the seat's former occupant, my father, the late Fire Lord Azulon. My plan for that night was to kill Zuko, but Ursa ultimately took over for me. She created a poison that killed my father in his sleep and allowed me to ascend the throne. But her act of regicide was one of treason, and I did not want the same poison used on me if she was ever displeased with me. I thought with Ursa gone, I could focus solely on training Azula to be my heir, forgoing Zuko's ineptitude. But obviously, ignoring this pathetic excuse of a son would not be adequate for my purposes.

I glared at Zuko, who now had a look of concern on his face. Despite this, he was defiantly strong, standing straight and trying to stare the entire military command down. He was at the first seat to my right on this long table, his eyes boring holes into the map of the world spread out across the wooden board. "For your disrespect, I order you to fight an Agni Kai tomorrow, before everyone in the palace!" I instructed him.

Zuko continued his glare at the general he interrupted earlier. Youth clashed head-on with experience as my son declared, "I'm not afraid. I will prove that I'm worthy of being in here, and that my idea is worth consideration. I'm ready for this fire duel."

With that, I dismissed my generals, telling them to be in the audience when the fight took place tomorrow. But for Zuko, I had a surprise for him, and it would be one that would test his mettle for sure. While it would be a logical assumption that Zuko ought to fight the general he insulted, he forgot that this was the Fire Lord's war room; in other words, my war room. When he spoke out of turn, he ultimately disrespected me, and to do anything of that sort required strict discipline. For me, this was a great chance to show Zuko what respect really meant, and how much he had to conform to it.

That was where we found ourselves the next day, standing on this flat arena with a huge crowd to our either side. Zuko's look of shock was unacceptable, as fake ignorance was not an excuse for not fighting. "Please, Father. I only had the Fire Nation's best interests at heart," Zuko pleaded, his legs like jelly as he dropped to his knees, "I'm sorry I spoke out of turn!" He kowtowed to me several times, not daring to look up.

The more he begged, the more sickening it got. Frankly, this blubbering was not what I expected from a Fire Prince. In fact, the only Fire Prince that ever performed like that was Iroh, who probably put on a similar show when his son was killed in battle. Yes, my hedonist older brother returned from his mysterious journey and chose not to take the throne, leaving me to rule unopposed. While that was a good thing, it was really a mixed blessing. Iroh could now get close to Zuko, filling his brain with all sorts of mushy nonsense about his life. What did my father ever see in Iroh that made him favour Iroh so much, and neglect such a talented and cunning individual like me?

Turning back to the scene, I approached Zuko, who was curled into a ball of emotional wreck. "You will fight for your honour," I fumed, "Rise and fight!"

"I meant you no disrespect," he responded, his face not even leaving the ground. No Fire Lord in history ever had to bow to anyone, and I would not have my son doing such an act, especially before all the important individuals in this palace. "I am your loyal son," he continued blubbering, "I won't fight you."

I had seen enough, as I must end this fight before it caused me more humiliation. I had always been a believer of discipline, even if it meant injuring people. And for this case, it was necessary. What's more, showing leniency to Zuko right now would mean all those in the crowd could speak out of turn at any time, and then pretend to be obedient and beg for mercy. So for me, this was all about setting an example. I took a glance at the crowd, making sure every eye was on me. Towering over his body, I declared, "You will learn respect, and suffering will be your teacher."

Everything seemed to move in slow motion as I reeled back and created a huge fire fist. I could see Zuko look up, just in time for me to catch the reflections of my fire in his tear-stained cheeks. Whatever hesitation I had in doing this was erased completely, as there was no place for tears in this palace. Emotions were for the feeble, and no son of mine would be displaying weakness in my palace. In one motion, I whipped my arm forward, sending the blast straight into Zuko's face, right near his left eye.

Zuko was blown back several metres, howling and screaming in pain as he tried to cover the scorched area. Ignoring the smell of burnt flesh, I turned to the crowd. Pointing at my cowering son, I announced, "By refusing to fight, Zuko has shown shameful weakness, and for that, he will be banished from the Fire Nation. The only way he will be allowed to return is if he does what no Fire Lord has been able to do so far: capture the long-lost air bending Avatar," I finished, stepping away from the arena in disgust.

As I marched out of the room, I could hear the sounds of people shuffling away, most of them probably in shock. There was bound to be some bleeding heart like Iroh who wanted to offer Zuko help, but my decision would be final. It was a good way for Zuko to learn respect, but also to get him out of my sight. Without this weakling in my palace, I could focus on what was most important: winning the war. And if it meant using only Azula as my most trusted lieutenant, then it was a chance I was willing to take.

________________________________________

I stared down the long hallway heading from the door of the throne room straight to my throne, with a lone standing figure looking on hesitantly as I beckoned him. It had been three years since I had exiled my son Zuko, and I truly never expected to see him again. To no one's surprise, Iroh chose to accompany Zuko on his journey, claiming that Zuko required someone to guide and advise him along the way. On any regular day, I would be repulsed by Iroh's overly soppy speech about how he saw Zuko as his new son after losing Lu Ten. But given how I just lost two big threats to my plan, I accepted it.

And after a little while, I had lost faith in Zuko's aimless wandering. I was none-too-pleased by the failed Siege of the North Pole, where Iroh supposedly was an advisor to. Plus, Zuko never managed to track down the Avatar, who I heard was rediscovered somewhere in the South Pole, and that meant the past three years had been a total waste of time. Given the way things went right now, with the war so close to an end, I had no intention of letting those two morons drag things out for longer. That was why I didn't even hesitate in asking my daughter Azula, who had increased her sphere of influence by being around me, to bring those two back to the Fire Nation as prisoners.

But then, something happened in Ba Sing Se, where Azula finally met up with those two that changed everything. I glanced up at the standing figure now marching towards me, and realized that he had changed his mind. While Azula told me that Zuko had initial doubts earlier, he ultimately sided with the Fire Nation. In a fierce battle, the siblings cornered the Avatar in a large underground cavern at Ba Sing Se and defeated him altogether. I was very impressed by this act, and didn't hesitate in requesting him to return where I could meet with him face-to-face.

In true Fire Nation tradition, Zuko got to his knees and kowtowed before me. My original intent to teach him respect seemed to have paid off as he barely did a thing until I addressed him. "You have been away for a long time, and I see the weight of your travels has changed you," I calmly observed, "You have redeemed yourself, my son."

Zuko lifted his head just as I stepped off the throne, through the flames, and onto the floor before him. Despite having not seen his face for three years, I could still make out the longing eyes, the tense cheeks, and wavering lips that were so prominent back at that Agni Kai. While I admitted that things did change, it was obvious that Zuko was still quite soft, and would require some training to further toughen up.

Pacing back and forth before him, I officially welcomed him back to the Fire Nation. "I am proud because you and your sister conquered Ba Sing Se. I am proud because when your loyalty is tested, by your treacherous uncle, you did the right thing and captured the traitor." I was told by Azula that Iroh originally tried to convince Zuko against capturing the Avatar. But when Zuko returned to our side, Iroh was no longer a factor. As I spoke, Iroh was in a jail cell, serving a life sentence for treason. It just showed how dangerous Iroh was, as even when retired, he influenced those around him to try usurping my power and creating his own faction against me.

"But I am proudest of all of your most legendary accomplishment. You slayed the Avatar," I declared, stopping just as I reached his back. Azula told me that she held off the Avatar's allies and Iroh, leaving Zuko alone with the air bender. What followed was an epic battle where Zuko threw everything he had at the crafty boy, who escaped Zuko's grasp several times before Zuko shot him down with a huge fire blast. Right there, I knew Zuko's fire bending skills had truly progressed, way different than the clumsy oaf that tried to show off before my father Fire Lord Azulon all those years before.

But Zuko's response to my claim seemed a bit unusual. Instead of being pleased by my announcement, he hesitantly asked what I heard. I furrowed my brow slightly, wondering if the story wasn't as complete as Azula had originally told it. "Azula told me she was amazed and impressed by your power and ferocity at the moment of truth. She told me you did a really good job," I added.

I could see Zuko still hunched over, almost like he was suspecting something had gone wrong. I couldn't tell what he was feeling, or why he felt that way, but the fact that he took that long to digest my words meant something was up. Nonetheless, I figured it wasn't the right time to deal with it. Given that Zuko would naturally be in a state where he found it difficult to trust people, it was best to let him go. I dismissed him from the throne room, once again telling him how proud I was. While I made a mental note to find out more about this when the situation arose, right now I could just enjoy my time being the proudest father alive. With both children under my control, nothing could stop me.

________________________________________

"First of all, in Ba Sing Se, it was Azula who took down the Avatar, not me," Zuko stated. It was the middle of a solar eclipse, meaning the Fire Nation was under threat due to the phenomenon rendering our fire bending useless. Azula told me that there was an invasion planned by the Avatar's allies, and that the capital city ought to be evacuated completely to prevent any damage. In an effort to beef up security, I hid in this large underground bunker, with only my children and my personal guards knowing of its exact location. Our intent was to wait out the eclipse before repelling the invaders.

But it was Zuko who would surprise me more than the invasion, as he barged in with his swords in tow, demanding that I lend him my ears. I felt it was interesting how he chose the time of an eclipse to discuss this issue with me, especially when he revealed that Azula wasn't being truthful regarding the Ba Sing Se events. "The Avatar survived," Zuko continued, explaining why Azula, the one I trusted most, would lie to me, "In fact, he's probably leading this invasion. He could be on his way here right now."

"Get out!" I roared, pointing at the door. My heart pounded and my muscles all tensed up as I heard of the event. There was no way that two Fire Nation royals could mess up that mission, and should Azula be here with Zuko, I would enact punishment on them both. "Get out of my sight right now if you know what's good for you."

But I was stunned when Zuko drew his swords, declaring that he would not accept my command. "I am going to speak my mind, and you are going to listen," he retorted. I could only fume as he forced me back to my seat. I had no weapon, and thanks to the eclipse, I had no fire bending either. Otherwise, Zuko would be burned to a crisp.

"For so long, all I wanted was for you to love me, to accept me. I thought it was my honour that I wanted, but really, I was just trying to please you. You, my father, who banished me, just for talking out of turn," Zuko stated, spitting his every word into my face, "My father, who challenged me, a thirteen-year-old boy, to an Agni Kai. How can you possibly justify a duel with a child?" he demanded, pointing his sword at me.

I had truly heard enough. Zuko still didn't learn his lesson, even after three years of exile. "It was to teach you respect," I hissed through clenched teeth. I wouldn't tolerate this type of defiance, and even when powerless, I must keep him in check.

"It was cruel, and it was wrong!" Zuko yelled, volume and boldness increasing simultaneously, "I learned everything, and I had to learn it on my own." He then recited all the things taught in his school, especially the details regarding our history. It was true that the Fire Nation had the greatest progress during Fire Lord Sozin's reign, and my grandfather did say he wanted to spread our influence to share our wealth with the world. So why did Zuko find this so hard to accept? "People don't see our greatness, they hate us! And we deserve it, because we created an era of fear in the world. If we don't want the world to destroy itself, we need to replace it with an era of peace and kindness."

All my anger seemed to have subsided as I burst out laughing. I couldn't help but think how pathetic that speech was, and how much that act reminded me of a younger version of Iroh. "Your uncle has gotten to you, hasn't he?" I commented amusedly.

"Yes, he has," Zuko retorted defiantly. I could see his pose standing taller and straighter than ever before when he described my brother. "After I leave here today, I'm going to free Uncle Iroh from his prison, and I'm going to beg for his forgiveness. He's the one who's been a real father to me," Zuko decided with conviction. I only smirked as he ranted on, wondering what flop he would create with this stupid move. Taking a deep breath, Zuko made his final point. "But I've come to an even more important decision: I'm going to join the Avatar, and I'm going to help him defeat you."

"Really? Since you're a full-blown traitor now, why wait?" I taunted him. I knew that the time of the eclipse would only last minutes, as the sun would return any time. It would give me to strength to overpower my son, who had always been weaker than Azula or me in bending. Should I get him off track, it might make him lose his guard, giving me a perfect chance to attack. "You've got your swords, so why don't you just do it now?"

"Taking you down is the Avatar's destiny," Zuko corrected me, sounding more smug than ever. Sheathing his swords, he turned to the door, ready to march out. I knew, from that moment on, there was no way he would return to my side.

But there was still one weapon up my sleeve. Zuko would never expect nor resist what I was about to unleash on him. "Don't you want to know what happened to your mother?" I asked slyly, slowly standing up from my chair.

I could see Zuko pause and turn around, his eyes narrowing to darts. "My father, Fire Lord Azulon, commanded me to do the unthinkable," I recalled the details to Zuko as his eyes blazed hotter than our sun, which I felt was about to peak at any second, "I was going to do it. But your mother found out, and swore she would protect you at any cost." I saw Zuko's face scrunch up, pained by the mention of Ursa. 

Taking my time, I continued my story. "She proposed a plan in which I would become Fire Lord, and your life would be spared. Your mother did vicious, treasonous things that night. She knew the consequences and accepted them. For her treason, she was banished," I finished in a flourish, my eyes never leaving Zuko's face as I gauged his emotions. Knowing their strong bond, that was bound to get a reaction from him.

A tear rolled down Zuko's right eye, the unburned one as he sighed in relief, knowing that his mother was alive. For the longest time, I kept what happened that night a secret, not even telling those closest to me Ursa's whereabouts. And now, by telling the truth at this time, it gave me a perfect time to attack. I could feel my fire returning as the eclipse reached its end, giving me a perfect strike. "Now I realize that banishment was far too merciful of a penalty for treason. Your penalty will be far steeper."

In one smooth motion, I summoned several bolts of lightning, feeling electricity sizzle around me as I aimed at my son. Zuko was just like his mother, in the sense that he had a lucky break by getting banished with only half his face intact. Today, I would end it all here, with the death penalty via electrocution. Gathering the power, I shot my arms out, sending the snaking bolts right into Zuko's body.

But while Zuko was blown back, he remained on his feet. I only watched in horror as Zuko absorbed all my energy, channelling it through his body, and aimed it back at me. Seeing my lightning hurtled back at me, my entire body was almost frozen as its velocity reached epic proportions. I barely got a chance to dodge when it slammed into the front steps before my seat, sending my body and the chair flying into the wall. "Urgh," I groaned as I was slammed back-first into the rocks.

By the time I peeled myself off the ground, there was nothing but a wall of fire before me. I squinted through the flames caused by the lightning and saw the door wide open, with Zuko nowhere to be seen. Figuring that Zuko was probably headed for the prison adjacent to the palace, I doubted anyone could reach him in time, given the mass chaos that was probably happening outside. But no matter, as my final plan would come to fruition, and I would eliminate our foes once and for all. As I called for the guards, I knew that sooner or later, I had to face the Avatar's group. And when I do, I would make sure neither the Avatar nor my son would be spared.

________________________________________

"There's been a change of plans, Azula," I told my daughter as we met at this Fire Nation dock, close to where the invasion first took place. Surrounding us, all in uniform and standing on guard, were several battalions of Fire Nation's finest troops, ready to take on the final stage of our war. With Sozin's Comet at its peak in the next day, it was the perfect opportunity to finish what my predecessors started.

"I've decided to lead the fleet of airships to Ba Sing Se alone. You will remain here in the Fire Nation," I instructed Azula. The day before the eclipse, I was told by none other than my traitor son Zuko that the Earth Kingdom featured denizens with an amazingly stubborn pride, and they refused to surrender as long as they had hope. Turning to a suggestion from Azula, I decided to start an aerial attack on the kingdom, using enhanced fire bending powers to raze their land to the ground. From the airship base to the Earth kingdom capital, everything would turn into nothing but barren land.

However, I must change things up right now, as I required someone to stay at the Fire Nation to take care of things. While it was decided that Azula would help me lead the airships, I felt it was best that she stayed at the Fire Nation for now. Amidst her protests, I had to exert my authority firmly. "My decision is final," I stated plainly.

"You can't treat me like this," Azula sputtered. Even with my back turned, I could imagine her reaction. Her face was tense, her body would shake, and her tone quivered as she tried pleading her case. It wasn't exactly princess-like behaviour, especially before all these soldiers waiting for new directions from a leader. In fact, I still didn't have the time to speak with Azula regarding how the Avatar survived the original Ba Sing Se attack. So I had to act quickly, and burn up the Earth Kingdom before he returned.

"You can't treat me like Zuko," Azula's voice sliced back into my thoughts once again. Her ranting and whining really grated on my nerves, as I expected my only heir to be better composed than this. I heard that something happened during her visit to the Boiling Rock that caused her much frustration, but given that she stopped her two so-called friends Mai and Ty Lee from helping a prison escape, why should she be angry? Anyone turning against the Fire Nation was an enemy of the state, even if those people were her friends. "It was my idea to burn everything to the ground. I deserve to be by your side!" she screeched, her voice nearly cutting my ear drums.

Realizing things were getting out of hand, I had to reveal my intentions here. "I've decided to declare you the new Fire Lord," I explained, turning to face her. My original plan was to let Azula take over the Fire Nation domestic commands while I was on my attack, but only deal with crowning her later on. Personally, I still wanted at least one hand near her while she ruled, just to make sure that I was always in control. But if this early announcement would make her calm down and in turn not mess things up, then it was a risk worth taking. "Fire Lord Ozai is no more," I announced to everyone.

The guards looked on as two sages placed a new set of armour on me, one that I had especially designed for this occasion. "Just like the world will be reborn in fire, I shall be reborn as the supreme ruler of the world," I described as the helmet was placed on my head. It was dark red with a gold rim surrounding the opening for my face. My eyes scanned the crowd as the helmet snugly fit around my face, declaring to everyone my new title. "From this moment on, I will be known as the Phoenix King!"

Right on cue, my new flag, one with a burgundy background highlighted by a yellow phoenix emblem in the middle, rose to the air. Guards lining the lane all lifted Fire Nation banners in salute as fire blared from the two poles supporting my new insignia. I sternly watched on as everyone dropped to their knees, kowtowing and submitting themselves to the new supreme ruler. I couldn't have imagined it better as I was about to start my new reign with dramatics and flare.

With trumpets and horns still blaring, I marched into the waiting boats. The airship base where I gathered my fleet was quite a ways away, and I estimated that it would take at least half a day to reach by boat. As I boarded the lead vessel, I gathered all the airship captains, briefing them on how the attack would go. We decided that the fleet of airships would fly in a wedge formation, with the larger lead airship captained by me. By doing so, we would cover more ground, burning up more land as we flew along, carving a direct path straight to Ba Sing Se and blazing everything along the way.

Not a word was spoken as we made our way through the surprisingly tranquil seas. My mind was only on the future as we prepared to end this war. After so many obstacles, so many failures, and the interference of so many individuals, success was finally at hand. Iroh's disappearance after his failed siege at Ba Sing Se, despite how shameful it made our family look, was actually a blessing in disguise. It allowed me, the best man for the throne, to ascend to power. With my determination and willpower, there was no way we couldn't get the job done.

This was further aided by my own father's cruelty towards me. For some reason, he felt Iroh, being the older son, ought to be favoured and appeased to. That left me, his second-born, with very little to work with. But because he focused so much on Iroh, he neglected to recognize my cunningness and ingenuity, to the point where it was a much better decision to support my rise to Fire Lord instead of that tea-obsessed idiot. When he ordered me to bring him Zuko's dead body, it gave me the perfect chance to usurp power from him. When Ursa became involved, it forced her to choose between my father and our son. Knowing her nature, she valued Zuko's safety over my father's. By helping me dispose of Fire Lord Azulon, and with Iroh still absent, it paved the way for me to gain power and ran the Fire Nation my way.

I glanced outside, watching the orange glow resonate throughout the seas as we inched closer to our destination. This reminded me of the fire I sent at Zuko's face when we had the Agni Kai, which was the final step towards cementing my place in history. With Ursa gone, and Iroh joining Zuko on his banishment, there was no one who could truly challenge me. With Azula groomed under my tutelage, carrying out my every order, there was nobody that I couldn't intimidate. The three years that separated then and now were crucial in my final planning stages, as not only did Azula take Ba Sing Se for me, it showed me who I could truly rely on in these times. Zuko, with his sentimental bonds, was bound to turn on us, but Azula stayed loyal even when she was unusually emotional today. That was why, just like how I, the second child of Azulon, was able to take the throne, Azula, my second child, would be taking the throne. Who cared about what those useless first-born children, with their sense of entitlement, had to say?

Finally, after an eternity, the island where our base was located came into view. The guards outside all lined up and stood in order as I exited my ship. Marching through the rocky terrain, I approached the large command ship, which was twice as long as the other airships and had a golden spiked piece attached to the front. The crew busily prepared for take-off as I strolled around to the edge of the island, overlooking the vast ocean between our base and the final pieces of Earth Kingdom land. The first area in our sights was the Wulong Forest, located just on the edge of the western shoreline of the Earth Kingdom known for its gigantic rock pillars. My robe flapped gently with the wind as I salivated at this golden opportunity, commenting, "It's time for this world to end in fire and for a new world to be born from the ashes."

________________________________________

"Please listen to me. We don't have to fight," the young bald boy pleaded before me. My airship fleet finally reached its destination, and we were about to rain fire on the Wulong forest. From my lead ship position, I already launched the first wave of flames. But suddenly, my airship took a violent twisting turn, fishtailing sideways as all engines failed. I glanced from my place at a railing jutting from the front of the ship and saw the Avatar, standing defiantly on a pillar of rock and staring me down.

Immediately, I removed my heavy cloak and fire-jetted onto an adjacent pillar, ready to tackle the foe that generations of fire benders failed to locate. But instead of battling me, he thought we could talk it out, insisting that there was no need to fight the war anymore. "You have the power to end it all right here," he declared.

I snickered, wondering who this child thought he was trying to tackle the most powerful fire bending team during the middle of Sozin's Comet. "I have all the power in the world!" I roared, unleashing flames from my hands and mouth. To show him my power, I started off with a wide fire spin, sending flames in every which direction as the heat scorched the rocks beneath me. Knowing his air bending nature, the Avatar was not about to get into a fight easily, which only made this battle much easier.

Before long, I saw a huge slab of rock hurtling towards me, most likely courtesy of one of the Avatar's defensive attacks. But this huge boulder was no match for comet-enhanced fire as I shattered it to bits, feeling the heated debris fly past my face. To no one's surprise, the Avatar was busy hopping from pillar to pillar, trying to avoid me. This forest might be vast, but I had speed to my advantage. Jet-blasting my way down the formation, I relentlessly chased him down, sending blast after blast of fire at him.

By now, the boy tried everything to hold me off, sending rocks from various pillars, water from a nearby waterfall, setting up an air shield; anything imaginable was sent my way. But I caught him off guard as he tried knocking down a series of pillars to block me, dodging away from the rocks just in time to catch the Avatar with his head down. Summoning another fire blast, this time I hit my mark. The Avatar absorbed the full force of that hit, sending him back-first into the rocks below.

As his body crumpled, I landed right next to him. There was a small ledge on this pillar, and I took this opportunity to limit his escape route by rushing at him with a double-handed fire blast. All he could do was wrap the rocks around his body, encasing his whole figure with stones as I continued my flames. With the rocks surrounding his body, he had no way to use his agility, which further gave me the advantage.

Suddenly, the Avatar leaped out of his rocky body and flew into the air, shooting a huge wind blast in my direction. It was a typical air bending attack with little damaging power, which gave me a perfect chance to wind up for a real attack, one that, with the comet, could kill instantly. Feeling the sizzle in my arms, I summoned a bolt of lightning this time, and aimed it straight for the Avatar. Should this one hit him, there was no way he would make it out of this battle alive.

To no one's surprise, the Avatar merely jumped from pillar to pillar, avoiding the lightning as much as possible. Normally, a fire bender could only summon lightning once at a time, mainly due to the amount of energy required to do so. But with the comet, all fire bending had been enhanced, and that meant I had unlimited shots at him. Even as we had to leapfrog from one place to another, there was no doubt in my mind that I would catch him again. Besides, with him playing defence the entire time, he was bound to suffer from fatigue, and that would be perfect for ending it all.

The timing became right when the Avatar somersaulted onto a larger piece, the highest one of all this time with nothing around him. Landing on an adjacent pillar, I mustered all the lightning I could, whipping it directly at the Avatar. He got up just in time to absorb the hit, his body convulsing and his breath shallow. But to my horror, he didn't get electrocuted. Rather, he channelled it through his body and aimed his sizzling finger at me. I felt my eyes widen and my body paralyzed. The boy turned my power against me, and my mind raced frantically in trying to find a possible escape route.

But that was never meant to be as I saw the Avatar's eyebrows furrow, his mind most likely telling him not to do it. Aiming his finger to the skies, he unleashed my lighting, sending it harmlessly into the air. As his body crumpled again, I only snickered. With him showing mercy at such a crucial battle, it was the best thing to ever happen. With my victory gift-wrapped, I sent a fierce fire kick and threw him off the pillar.

I hovered over the coast, scanning the waters as I tried locating the Avatar. I didn't expect him to die off that easily, and I was determined to finish the job. The waves below splashed the coast gently, but the rising and sinking waters revealed the lifeless body of the Avatar. Twisting around, I shot myself towards him, ready to send the final blow. Flying just above the water surface, I felt the water evaporating right at my feet, a line of steam hissing behind me as I chased down the Avatar.

The boy pathetically slipped, landing face-first onto the ground. I could only laugh as I screeched to a halt above him, causing him to create an earthen ball, hiding inside for cover. "You're weak, just like the rest of your people," I taunted him, "They did not deserve to exist in this world. In my world, prepare to join them! Prepare to die!" With that, I slammed two fire fists onto the ball, trying to break through the rocks.

The earthen ball shook and rumbled, but relatively little happened. I figured that the Avatar had braced himself, so much so that it was tougher to break. Taking a few steps back, I unleashed more fire at him, sending waves of fire at the target now propped up off the ground thanks to the flames blowing away the earth around it. "Come on out, Avatar! You can't hide in there forever!" I roared, letting loose another jet of fire.

Finally, the ball of rock was knocked off the pedestal, sending it flying away before slamming into yet another pillar. With the Avatar now pinned, it was only a matter of time before the deal was sealed. I marched up to it, already envisioning the victory parade they would throw in my honour at my capital city when this was all done. A continuous stream of fire shot through my hands at the ball, the fire reaching so high that it nearly matched this pillar for height. I could feel the wall of fire nearly melting the rocks, which would soon leave the Avatar defenceless against my fire. Pulling my right hand back, I generated a small fire bomb, an attack that dealt great damage at short range. Taking a deep breath, I jumped into the air and thrust the fire at the rocks.

Instantly, the rocks crumbled, leaving the Avatar buried in the debris. I could only sneer at the aftermath, as my foe was likely unconscious, ready to be burned to a crisp. "Come on out, little boy," I taunted again, leaning my face in, "You're about to be…"

I never finished that sentence, as a hand shot through the rocks and gripped my beard. My eyes widened in fear as I saw the Avatar with his eyes and arrow tattoos all glowing. Even as I created a fire blade with one hand, he merely brushed it away with ease. Before long, I found myself blasting away from him, my body sailing lifelessly through the air as the Avatar unleashed a large wind blast. By the time I slammed back-first against a different pillar, I could only stare up groggily.

It was the Avatar who was now on the offensive. Hovering above me in a ball of air, I could only watch in fear as he mimicked my earlier move, sending fire out his limbs and mouth, creating a halo of flames around him. This was followed by summoning several pieces of rock, followed by a stream of water. With all four elements surrounding and circling him, I knew the worst had happened: this was the feared Avatar state, where any Avatar could become unstoppable. Knowing there was no way I could win the battle, I had to take off and stalled for time, hoping he would snap out of it soon.

Before long, a combination of air, fire, and rock shot my way, leaving me scrambling as I jet-blasted away from the Avatar. There was no doubt in my mind that he was on the chase as I could feel the pillars behind me collapsing, courtesy of his shots slashing through their foundations. Hoping to stall him more, I tried lowering my current altitude, preferring to zip through the pillars rather than fly above them, making it more difficult for the Avatar to see me. Right now, I was running out of chances and options.

That strategy soon proved fruitless as the Avatar merely collapsed two pillars together, causing me to change direction on the fly. That left me vulnerable to a huge wave of water knocking me right out of the sky, the feat almost unachievable given the sheer distance between the coastline and me. As I shook away the debris from my face and stars in my eyes, I saw the Avatar's ball of air hurtling down from the sky, ready to slam straight into me. Overcoming my nearly numb body, I jetted away just in time.

By now, all my attacks were ineffective against the Avatar, who managed to not only deflect, but retaliated against my every hit. The rocks around me were tossed about like rag dolls in a cyclone as he cut through the formation, shooting down my flames, sending fire, wind and rocks my way, and keeping me evasive manoeuvre all at once. I was hit several times, my body now giving way to fatigue as I could only wonder how this weakling turned the battle around so quickly. My ancestors wiped his race off the world, so how did the last of his kind become the one person that I couldn't beat?

My flaming feet abruptly lost power as I felt a cool liquid wrap itself around my body. I struggled to get free, but to no avail as I realized the Avatar now had me in his grasps. I was rudely thrown onto the top of a nearby pillar, my body in severe pain as I could only moan helplessly. There were probably several broken bones, and bruises up and down my back, but I knew that was the least of my concern right now.

Before long, the Avatar floated above me, opening his mouth to speak in a strange voice that sounded like many people talking at once. With his fume permanent and anger filling his tone, the boy stated, "Fire Lord Ozai, you and your forefathers have devastated the balance of this world," he declared, clenching his fists and binding my hands and feet with rocks, "And now, you shall pay the ultimate price!"

For the first time in this battle, my heart raced nonstop as I realized the end was near. I was about to be killed, my nation would be dishonoured, and my ancestor's legacy all destroyed, all because of this child. I tilted my head to see a drill-like object made of all four elements sailing through the air, whistling down as it neared my chest. I could only close my eyes, waiting for the inevitable to happen.

But it didn't happen, as all I received was a splash of cold water to the face and several rocks dropping harmlessly around me. I opened my eyes hesitantly, just in time to see the Avatar snap out of his powerful state, his tattoos no longer glowing as he stood with his back to me, his head almost dipped in shame. "No, I'm not going to end it like this," he declared solemnly, releasing me from the earthen cuffs.

I struggled to get up, my knees still shaking after that scare. The adrenaline was finally easing as I took my shot at the boy. "Even with all the power in the world, you are still weak." I spat, venom laced through my tone. If he wasn't going to finish the battle, then I was. Mustering all the strength I had left after the ordeal, I made a fire fist and prepared to launch it at the now immobile Avatar.

But that was a decision I soon regretted, as the Avatar kicked up a pillar of rock, trapping my hand and sending the blast into the air. With my right hand now stuck, I tried a second blast with my left hand, but it was the same result. Quickly, the Avatar lowered the two pieces of rock, leaving me in a trapped position again as I blew my face back with an air blast. I could only watch helplessly as he placed a hand on my forehead and another on my chest, all the while taking a deep breath and closing his eyes.

A strange sensation soon took over my body as the energy within me swirled violently. Like a vortex in the ocean, it sucked away whatever strength I had and shot it out of my eyes and mouth. I was completely frozen, not sure what was happening as a similar thing happened with the Avatar. My surroundings shook violently as the two light melded with one another, creating a pillar that reached the skies. It was like my insides were being bended, but there was nothing I could do to stop it. And soon enough, I was overwhelmed by the Avatar, letting the boy drain me of my energy. The beam of light was shot into the skies, illuminating the entire world and overshadowing the comet.

It seemed like forever before he released me, both from his hold and the earthen shackles. I tried to swing a couple of fire fists at the Avatar now standing before me, but to no avail. To him, I probably looked like a drunkard stumbling out of a bar after having too much to drink. "What…what did you do to me?" I stuttered, dazed and confused.

"I took away your fire bending," the Avatar stated simply, his voice filled with confidence and his posture more poised than ever, "You can't use it to hurt or threaten anyone else ever again." With that, he turned to face the ocean, lifting his arms up and down in rhythmic motion. I could hear the waves lapping into the forest, followed by the hissing of steam. But for me, the extinguishing of the fires only paralleled the way my career as Fire Lord came to an end: by the actions of this one kid.

________________________________________

And this was where I now found myself, a weak old man with no bending, no title, and in complete disarray. I heard Azula, my hand-picked heir to the throne, lost an Agni Kai to Zuko, and in turn lost the throne. Right now, her condition was no different than mine, as we were both locked away in some dingy cell in the middle of nowhere. And to add further insult to injury, I had to be placed in the same cell that Iroh was in earlier, as if Zuko was trying to duplicate my actions to his "new" father.

The outer gates to my cell soon opened, revealing an individual wearing the same style of robes I wore not even a month ago. It was our nation's new head of state, Fire Lord Zuko, visiting. "I should count myself lucky," I muttered as Zuko's shadow loomed over me, "The new Fire Lord has graced me with his presence in my lowly prison cell."

"You should count yourself lucky that the Avatar spared your life," Zuko retorted, feisty as ever. When Ursa said Zuko never gave up, she wasn't kidding. Given the way he clawed to power, overtaking my personal and the best choice, I realized that the Fire Nation was in for a long haul. "Banishing me was the best thing you could have done for my life," he continued, "It put me on the right path. Perhaps your time in here could do the same for you. But right now, you're going to tell me something."

I titled my head just in time to see Zuko kneel down, getting into the same level as me. "Where is my mother?" he demanded in a no-nonsense tone.

I wasn't surprised that he would ask that question, as Zuko would never give up his sentimental bonds. Even as Fire Lord, he still stuck too heavily to one person or one group of people, letting them cloud his judgment and making him weak. Would the Fire Nation achieve greatness again being led by this weakling? What would become of this once proud and powerful race as it became impure, mainly by interacting with the lowlife Earth Kingdom and Water Tribes? As I lamented over the possibilities of failure, all the while trying to deal with my son's death glare, only one thought remained:

My name is Ozai. That was my story. Those were my rites of passage.


	15. Iroh, Part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Each character grows up with a set of experiences unique to themselves. Watch each person describe what went through their minds and how they changed as they reacted to the world. These are their stories, these are their rites of passage.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: Michael DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko own Avatar.

**Lu Ten's POV**

The huge walls of the famed Earth kingdom capital dwarfed our entire battalion, making the most powerful military in the world look insignificant as we stationed at its feet. The Fire Nation had been on its conquest for decades now, and finally we reached the pinnacle of our battle: entering the capital region of the Earth Kingdom. Finally, the Fire Nation might finally achieve its most glorious victory.

"Lu Ten, don't be daydreaming. We're getting ready to invade!" an older, husky voice called to me. I tilted my head just in time to see the leader of this invasion, a balding man with greying hair, a sharp sideburn, and a small goatee. To me, he was the most cunning strategist, the most skilled fire bender, and one of the most knowledgeable men on nearly every topic in the world. And he was a man I truly respect, one that I was proud to call general, but more importantly, something more.

"I'm coming Dad," I replied, picking up my last weapons. My father, Crown Prince Iroh, was the leader of this invasion. It was his idea to not directly attack the Earth Kingdom, but to slowly chip away at their defences, weakening their morale and resolve until they were ripe for an all-out assault. Dad told me that earth benders were known for their stubborn pride, and weren't willing to give up as long as they had something to cling onto. That was why, for our purpose, we must drain them of their hope.

Turning back to Dad, I saw him finish sipping his hot tea before handing the cup to a servant. If there was one thing Dad loved, it was a good cup of tea. He told me it always helped him concentrate better, letting him pick up on things about our foes that regular troops were unable to. I was amazed at how, despite living in the Fire Nation all his life, Dad was able to learn so much about other cultures, to the point where he could lecture our battalion on them, reminding us to recognize their weaknesses and attack them on it, all the while appreciating their strengths and be prepared to defend against them. With his wisdom in battle and cultures, there wasn't any way we could lose this.

I scurried between several soldiers as we lined up into attack formation. Standing before us, Dad raised a hand in determination. "We have accomplished what no other army had done in the history of the world: we breached the outer wall of Ba Sing Se!" he declared. In unison, the battalion roared in approval, set on finishing the job.

As the voices died down, Dad requested our attention again. "This siege on Ba Sing Se has reached six hundred days, and no matter how stubborn those earth benders may be, their resolve cannot last for long," he continued, "Today, we will finally breach their inner wall and enter the city. Today, destiny is our friend, I know it!"

We roared out once more as we got ready to charge in. It was times like these that I realized why Dad was so popular with the troops. Being the true leader that he was, he never hesitated in giving everyone at least one morale-boosting speech every day. That in turn made the soldiers more confident of their abilities, motivating them to fight for such a fine general. Fitting my helmet snugly around my head, I glanced around at my comrades, ready to tackle the big task ahead. As usual, Dad marched up and down each line, giving people personal encouragement along the way. When he got to me, he merely told me to stay strong. "Nothing makes me prouder than fighting beside my son in the greatest battle the world will ever see," he marvelled, placing a hand on my shoulder.

I nodded, trying to keep my already pumping adrenaline in check. "I will make you proud," I promised him as Dad returned to the front. We stared onward as groups of earth benders could be seen hovering around the base of the inner wall, ready to defend against our attacks. Standing at the front between the two large, waving red banners with a fire insignia, Dad unleashed our battle cry. "For the Fire Nation, attack!"

We all shouted out as our battalion charged at the wall. Immediately we were met with several rocks and boulders, dust spraying all over as the projectiles shot past us and knocking over some troops. This was met by several blasts of fire, lighting up the skies as we met the Earth Kingdom troops head-on. I juggled between shooting fire and handling my spear at the same time, a difficult feat considering that my weapon's movement must match my body's movement when fire bending.

I blocked a flying rock with my spear while spinning around to shoot fire at my opponents, the clashes of blades and whistling of high flying projectiles ringing through my ears as I gazed across the field. I saw Dad at it against several earth benders, and he seemed so effortless, flipping Earth Kingdom troops around as the fire flew gracefully out of him. I had heard that Dad had experience with dragons, as he told me he bested the last two so-called original fire benders, thus earning him the title "Dragon of the West" in the Fire Nation. But to me, there was another reason for that title. With the way he moved on the field, his fire so ferocious yet his skill so natural, that it was like watching a true master at work. It only hardened my resolve on improving my fire bending skill so that one day, should Dad become Fire Lord, he would have an heir worthy of his skill.

"Lu Ten, look out!" Yells from my teammates soon got me on the defensive. I turned my head just in time to avoid a large chunk of rock falling my way. I could hear several troops either getting crushed by the boulder or thrown to the side due to the huge collision. Amidst the chaos, I could only look around as many around me in the original formation scattered, leaving me pretty much alone with no one nearby. Dad had told me before that earth benders, with their ability to tackle anything head-on, usually had very good aim, meaning anyone left in the middle of nowhere would become prime targets. With my current condition, I might just become flatter than a piece of paper. Anyone cared for mailing me home with the next batch of letters?

Before long, I saw a line of earth benders all lifting boulders from the ground. I knew I only had seconds to make it to the group, where I would have a better chance to defend against this attack. While I was confident in taking on the rocks, the sheer number of projectiles truly worried me. But my worst fear came to fruition as all projectiles shot out at once, heading straight for my location. "Let's hope my training with Dad all these years helped me," I muttered, getting into a stance and trying to hold them off.

Everything moved in slow motion as I unleashed a fiery kick, launching an arc of flames into the air and meeting the rocks head on. I didn't know how many rocks were blocked as a result, and how many flew over my head, but all I knew was that I was met with a dust cloud right as the fire dissipated. Knocked to the ground from the force of the hits, I sputtered and shook my head, hoping to get my bearings. In the distance, I could hear Dad and my comrades shouting for me to come back. I struggled to my feet, still hopeful that I could get to my team in time to regroup and salvage the battle.

Then, from nowhere, I was completely blind-sided by a rock. The bone jarring hit forced me into the air, tossing my body like a rag doll. The period of numbness soon gave way to pain as I was slammed to the ground, cracking and popping heard underneath my amour. A couple of coughs from my mouth ended with blood splats, and that was when I knew my injuries were severe, even possibly life-threatening.

My breathing became more and more ragged as more and more rocks were hurled in my general direction. In my blurred vision, a heavyset man launched several fire blasts and braved the conditions as he came my way. I could feel a strong set of arms around my body as he checked for my injuries. "Lu Ten, my son, you cannot die. You're a very strong warrior, and I'm very proud of you. We have so much we can still accomplish together. Please, no matter what, keep hanging on!" Dad pleaded as he held me close.

But my next breath would be my last, as I soon gave way to unconsciousness. The last image I saw before lapsing was my dad's face, the kind old man and wise general who was respected by all and loved by our family. As I departed the world, I knew not only had I left Dad behind, I also took away a piece of him. The bond I had with Dad was real, and there was nothing anyone could do to ease his pain now.

________________________________________

**Iroh's POV**

I could only stare on in stunned silence as Ozai approached Zuko, hovering ominously above him as my nephew got onto his knees. "Please, Father. I only have the Fire Nation's best interests at heart. I'm sorry I spoke out of turn!" he called, his frightened teenage voice echoing through the arena. Even though I tried not to show it, I was very frightened by this scene. My younger brother Ozai wasn't exactly a lenient man. Knowing what Zuko did earlier, I seriously doubted he would leave with just a slap on the wrist.

And the incident in question was? Zuko insisted that I allowed him into a war meeting with his father, just to learn all he could for managing the Fire Nation should he take over the throne one day. I was very proud of my nephew taking the initiative to learn, but I wasn't too keen on letting him sit around the veteran generals alone. Those old folks could get sensitive about the younger generation questioning their decisions, and that would create a serious political situation in front of Ozai. How much worse could it get if Zuko offended one of them and made them lose face, especially before the Fire Lord?

Unfortunately, my nephew's tongue got the better of him. He spoke out against a general's plan to sacrifice a battalion of young fighters for baiting purposes. The general suggested that the new recruits would distract the Earth Kingdom forces for long enough so that the actual Fire Nation army mounted a rear attack, leaving the rookies defenceless along the way. While Zuko was right in looking out for the younger soldiers, claiming that they had to leave their families behind just to fight for our country, it was not his place to speak. Even as I agreed with Zuko that our generals ought not to betray the soldiers' patriotism, the way Zuko came across made him sound like he was openly defying an elder. And for that, Ozai, Zuko's father, ordered him to fight an Agni Kai the very next day.

"You will fight for your honour," Ozai remarked, now overshadowing the kowtowing Zuko. When I tried to convince my nephew to just apologize to everyone, he initially refused, claiming he would rather fight the general he insulted than retract his statement. In a usual situation, I would have agreed with him. But the second I entered the arena seeing the very general he insulted sitting in the stands, I knew something was wrong. And true enough, Ozai took it upon himself to fight Zuko, claiming by disrespecting someone in Ozai's war chamber, Zuko ultimately disrespected his own father.

"I won't fight you!" Zuko insisted, his head so far down to the ground that I could barely see his face anymore. For the past few years, Zuko really went through a lot, to the point where he could almost maintain his composure and manage himself in even the toughest of situations. I recalled leaving for my biggest battle at Ba Sing Se with my father, Fire Lord Azulon, in charge of the throne. Ozai was still a prince then, and Zuko's mother, Ursa, took care of Zuko and his sister Azula. But by the time I returned, I realized Azulon died under mysterious circumstances, Ursa disappeared, and Ozai became Fire Lord, focusing all his energy training Azula to be his heir while leaving Zuko by the wayside. Of course, I was too tired to compete for the throne, so I merely let things be, spending my time in relaxation while keeping an eye on Zuko.

But even without Ursa, to whom Zuko was very attached to, Zuko still managed to live fairly comfortably. He did well in school, progressed rather efficiently in his fire bending lessons, and even knew his history and geography well. Based on my observations of Zuko's growing years, I knew his impulsiveness might get him in trouble sometimes, but never in my life had I seen Zuko in a mess so large that even I couldn't get him out of. And unfortunately, that mess had to occur today, as Ozai's patience was really running thin. "You will learn respect, and suffering will be your teacher!" he declared venomously.

Then, the unthinkable happened as Ozai reached back with one fist, the hand lighting up in a fiery orange glow. Ozai didn't plan on burning his own son in the face, did he? Couldn't he at least realize that Zuko perhaps wasn't trying to insult the general, but was merely offering some advice? Zuko was in his teens now, so maybe Ozai ought to let Zuko have some freedom in expressing himself, at least to the point where he felt he was listened to? I knew if I were Fire Lord, I wouldn't mind letting either Lu Ten or Zuko challenge my decisions, no matter how strongly I supported those decisions. Surely Ozai wasn't claiming that was wrong, right? Right now, it seemed like Ozai was the one being disrespectful here.

I could only look on in horror as Ozai's fire fist came forward, launching the flames straight into Zuko's face. I felt so helpless, almost like I should have done something to stop it, but ultimately didn't. I had no intention of seeing the one I treated like my own son tortured like that, but at the same time I also realized what it would mean should I get involved. I was not the Fire Lord, and definitely not Zuko's father. I had very little power in controlling what ought to happen in this Agni Kai, one that Zuko himself had agreed to before. By the time I plucked up enough courage to turn to Zuko, the sight wasn't pretty.

But before I could even get to the arena, Ozai's cruel voice filled the air. "By refusing to fight, Zuko has shown shameful weakness, and for that, he will be banished from the Fire Nation. The only way he will be allowed to return is if he does what no Fire Lord has been able to do so far: capture the long-lost air bending Avatar." Without another glance at the boy howling in pain near him, Ozai swiftly turned and marched off the arena. Not another word was spoken, leaving the arena in a strange and uncomfortable silence.

As the crowd behind me shuffled away, I hurried down to the arena, grabbing the now-injured Zuko and pulling him to the side. The smell of charred flesh penetrated my nostrils, the skin and muscles around Zuko's left eye now charred beyond recognition. I wasn't sure if Zuko could still see out of his left eye, but I doubted his vision would ever be the same again. "Zuko, my nephew, are you alright?" I asked, gently lifting his back off the ground and into a sitting position. I felt around his neck and his nostrils, hoping to get at least a pulse and some breathing. As long as there was some sign of life, maybe he could still leave intact.

There was no response from Zuko, who only mumbled incoherently while his face scrunched up in pain. I could not imagine how any father did that to his son, especially one that showed so much potential for success. Seeing how Zuko was unlikely to regain his birthright, his honour, his anything, from Ozai until he completed this improbable task, I realized it was now my task to guide my nephew through these trying few years. It wouldn't be easy, as Zuko's personality would make it difficult for me to get through to him, but for the sake for our futures, I must take this task.

________________________________________

**Zuko's POV**

"You've changed our course for a stupid lotus tile?" I sputtered, my mind in pure shock over what Uncle revealed. I was on the deck of my ship, practicing my fire bending with crew members. I saw the Avatar firsthand, and he was only a boy several years younger than me. Even so, he proved to be a tough opponent, given his agility and almost flawless escape methods. Because of this, I finally heeded Uncle's advice and practiced on mastering my basics before moving onto harder, more advanced techniques.

But this latest course of action made me absolutely flabbergasted, as Uncle Iroh insisted on stopping at a nearby port to pick up a lotus tile. It was a piece in Uncle's favourite game, Pai Sho. In my mind, Uncle was truly outstaying his welcome on my ship with his antics. As if the Avatar getting away, guarded by two members of the Southern Water Tribe wasn't enough, a rival Fire Nation commander named Zhao also found out about my journey, and threatened to capture the Avatar before me as to gain favours from my father. Knowing my honour would be harder to regain now, Uncle chose to let Zhao have the edge by stopping for a game piece? I could only hiss in anger, my hot breath covering the control room in steam. Anyone wanting to lose weight could enter now.

And that was where we found ourselves, scouring the market of this small town on the coast for a stupid game piece. It almost felt like the latest events on my journey meant nothing to Uncle at all. Shortly after the Avatar escaped at the South Pole, we had to dock at a nearby Fire Nation port for repairs. I tried to hide my goals from Zhao at the time, but it became too obvious to the cunning man that I had something large in mind. That ended with a verbal joust and my challenge to him of an Agni Kai. Even though it was one-on-one, I actually enjoyed hearing Uncle give me encouragement.

But the Agni Kai reminded me of one thing: the result of my previous Agni Kai before going against Zhao. That was the one against my father for speaking out of turn in his war room. While everyone was fearful and tried to distance themselves from the event, it was Uncle Iroh who truly took care of me. Uncle was the first to volunteer in accompanying my journey, and it was Uncle who suggested all the connections I tried in locating the Avatar. So, despite his lazy exterior, I actually did feel Uncle starting to become a bigger part of my life. Perhaps, if my task was complete and my honour regained, I would personally thank Uncle for everything he did for me.

But turning back to the current situation, Uncle's antics weren't exactly making me happy. With only musical instruments for the crew's band and other rare trinkets in mind, Uncle scoured every shop at the port, declaring that the only thing better than finding something one looked for was to find something one wasn't looking for at a great bargain. As Uncle marvelled at a statue of a jewelled monkey in this dark, ship-like shop, I could only roll my eyes. Maybe Uncle could submit that monkey to my father instead of the Avatar, and hoped he would be impressed by this rarity and restored my honour.

Leaning closer to the counter, I overheard the shopkeeper's conversation with one of his assistants. The assistant declared that a water bending girl and a young monk took off with one of their scrolls, and they were having trouble finding those two. Curious, I wondered if that monk was the Avatar. "Did he have an arrow on his head?" I asked, cutting into their talk, "If he does, then I'll be willing to help you find him."

The shopkeeper's eyebrow cocked, wondering what I could offer to them. Taking a deep breath, I offered them a compromise for my services. "In exchange for letting you use my ships and team, I'm willing to help you find those two and get back your scroll." I didn't tell them of the Avatar's identity. After Zhao's incident, I couldn't trust anyone with such a large bounty. Staring at the man with the wide hat, I waited for his response.

After an intense few minutes, the shopkeeper agreed, and showed me his crew. My earlier suspicions were confirmed: this shop was a pirate ship, and the shopkeeper was its captain. They sold loot pillared from elsewhere, and that most likely included that jewelled monkey Uncle was so fond of. Glancing at the large man, who had a grin identical to the one on the monkey, I grabbed him by his sleeve and tugged him out.

As the pirate captain gathered his crew, I ordered the small shuttle from my ship to be deployed. This was a stealthier boat that was shorter and flatter than a traditional ship, and it was meant for ambush or spy missions more than for transport. Beckoning the captain, I asked him to join me on the shuttle while his crew followed closely behind in their larger ship. I told him that we ought to take advantage of the darkness, and stayed close to the coast. "They stole a water bending scroll, right? Then they'll be on the water," I explained, my eyes alternating back and forth between the wooded coastlines.

Luckily for us, we managed to find the girl from the Southern Water Tribe, positioned right at the riverfront trying to practice her water bending as taught to her by that scroll. We immediately disembarked from our ship and captured her, tying her to a nearby tree and threatened her. Dangling her Water Tribe necklace before her face, I demanded to know where she was keeping the Avatar.

To no one's surprise, the water bending girl refused to talk, and the pirates got fed up. Luckily for me, I did manage to pick up a few things from my time with Uncle, and that meant good strategizing and critical thinking. Turning things around on the pirates, I picked up the water bending scroll and lit a fire with my hand. "I wonder how much this is worth," I taunted the captain, waving it dangerously close to my palm.

The pirates all froze in horror, begging me to leave their scroll alone. That only left me with the advantage, as now I could force them to help me find the Avatar. "You'll get this back, and everyone goes home happy," I proposed. Although he probably was using a less aggressive approach, I knew Uncle must have done unorthodox things like this with people he disagreed with before, making this move necessary.

Nonetheless, I truly felt some of his techniques were rubbing off. The pirates had no choice but to follow my orders, scouring the woods for the Avatar and his friend. As I watched from my shuttle, I requested a soldier to send a message to Uncle, informing him of our move. With such big stakes, I figured that he ought to be here to witness this. In a sense, I owed a lot of this victory to Uncle; had it not been for him finding that pirate ship, I would have never known their dilemma. Had it not been for him getting friendly with those guys, I probably wouldn't get to interject into their plans. And had it not been for him telling me some of his past experiences, no matter how boring and confusing his stories were, I probably wouldn't have concocted this plan. For that, I was truly grateful.

I finally had my rendezvous with Uncle in the morning, when the pirates brought the Avatar and the Water Tribe warrior to me. I figured it was probably an easy battle, given that the Water Tribe warrior was not a threat. The first time I fought him at the South Pole, I defeated him with two kicks, not even having to lift my arms at all. Now, he had to face an entire team of pirates in an ambush? There was no chance for him to win. So, with Uncle to my side, I was about to make the swap: the Avatar for the scroll.

But, in one of the most surprising, if not dumbest, moves I had ever heard, the loudmouth Water Tribe warrior declared that it was a bad deal. "Are you really going to hand over the Avatar for a stupid piece of parchment?" he asked in shock.

Sheer pandemonium took over at the pirates reneged on their deal, insisting they could collect a bigger bounty by handing the Avatar to the Fire Lord themselves. Soon, fire balls, smoke bombs, spears, staffs, whatever anybody could get their hands on, flew through the air. As Fire Nation troops and pirates fought in a cloud of smoke, courtesy of one of the pirates' smoke bombs, I was locked in a battle with the captain, who pulled out a long sword. The steel blade screeched through the air at me, leaving me to defend with my reflexes and my fire. I could tell he was skilled, given how effortless his swings and thrusts were. Maybe had I listened more carefully to Uncle's coaching, I might fare better.

My worst fear soon came to fruition as a pirate pulled out a long whip and lashed it at me. In my struggle against the captain, I couldn't dodge the whip smacking on my back, allowing him to hook the water bending scroll right from my pocket. With my hands tied and no one near me, I could only watch as my only bargaining chip was snatched away. Where was Uncle when I needed him the most? He was standing right by me right before the swap took place, so where did he go now?

A tug of my hair plus a soft nudge to my back caught my attention, as that very distinctive voice of Uncle Iroh's sliced into the battle. "Are you so busy fighting that you cannot see your own ship set sale?" he declared, pointing at the pirate ship.

True to his word, there was the Avatar and the water bending girl manipulating the waters to set the ship free. With the Water Tribe warrior at the helm, the pirate ship was slowly drifting away from the shore. But more shocking was that the pirate crew now saw my shuttle as an appropriate pursuit vehicle, and sought to hijack that as well. "Come on, Uncle," I yelled, grabbing his sleeve as the captain hopped on just in time for it to leave. Now I was truly kicking myself for not paying more attention to Uncle.

The only thing I could do was give chase, hoping to get a chance to hop back onto my boat. Hope got slimmer and slimmer until the Avatar turned the pirate ship to its side, letting my shuttle slam straight into it, sending both crafts over a waterfall. "My boat!" I hollered, watching helplessly as the Avatar escaped on his bison. As I tried to catch my breath, I could hear Uncle lumbering up to me. I tilted my head back just in time to see him twitch a little. Perhaps he was suffering from cramps? "What's wrong?" I asked.

Uncle stuck a hand into his sleeve, wiggling it about while speaking hesitantly. "Prince Zuko, you're really going to get a kick out of this," he began sheepishly, "the lotus tile was in my sleeve the whole time!" He announced, pulling out his game piece.

My eyes nearly bulged out from their sockets, completely flabbergasted at what happened. We docked at the port, made a deal with questionable people, got double-crossed by the pirates, lost my ship and the Avatar, and the whole time there was no need to go on this trip at all? My shoulders heaved up and down furiously, not even holding back my anger. Snatching the tile from Uncle's hand, I hurled it over the waterfall, not wanting to see this cursed thing again for the rest of my life.

I barely saw Uncle's surprised expression as I marched back to the port, my face redder than any flame coming out of my crew. Whatever respect I started gaining for Uncle during this adventure, it was all out the door by now.

________________________________________

**Iroh's POV**

"Prince Zuko, the crew wanted me to wish you safe travel," I stated, peeking into my nephew's room. As if hunting the Avatar wasn't a stressful enough task, now Zuko had to deal with Admiral Zhao, who was competing with him for the task. Zhao had to take the low route and recruited Zuko's entire crew, including the cook! That left only my nephew and me still loitering around on the ship, wondering what to do next.

"Good riddance to those traitors!" Zuko spat, lying firmly on his bed. While I understood the way this affected him, I didn't see the point in Zuko trying to get this angry. Even when we had no crew, we could still enact our plan of going to the North Pole in pursuit of the Avatar. Knowing the boy had to learn water bending, Zuko still had a chance to catch him in that giant ice fortress. Why should he get this upset over a small setback?

"It's a lovely night for a walk, so why don't you join me? It would clear your head," I suggested, opening his room's door wider just to let more light into the cold, dark chamber. The past few days had been very trying for Zuko, that's for sure, and I did everything to still make his life comfortable. Sometimes, Zuko didn't even join our crew for evening activities like music night, wandering off into town and disappearing for days at a time. I had some clue as to what was going on when Zhao inspected the swords Zuko kept in his room, asking if Zuko was an expert swordsman. It wouldn't put it past me that the so-called Blue Spirit, who I heard took the Avatar out of Zhao's stronghold, was actually Zuko in disguise.

I glanced at him for a couple more minutes, realizing that Zuko wasn't about the budge. In that case, there was nothing more I could do other than let him figure things out on his own. Stepping off the ship, I thought about how this journey changed Zuko. In the past, Zuko had a very open personality, always eager to try new things and wasn't afraid of making mistakes. The fact that he kept striving to be better even when the odds were against him was one trait I really admired. But ever since his banishment, Zuko had been cold and distant. Part of my job was to get Zuko to see the world again, letting him absorb new knowledge and not be obsessed over just capturing the Avatar. But with Zhao's interference, even I had difficulty reaching to Zuko.

But at the same time, I realized what a challenge this would be for Zuko, provided he was willing to accept it rather than mope around in his room. In my view, my nephew had yet to truly figure things out for himself. Even in the past few attempts at getting the Avatar, he made many mistakes that he had yet to realize, let alone rectify. While a teen like him was bound to have some faults, it was evident that if Zuko didn't make an effort to make things better, he would have a lot of problems advancing his cause. I was still hopeful that Zuko had the strength to make it right, and rejoined me in planning our infiltration into the North Pole. But for now, he had to think this through on his own, whether he liked it or not.

I barely got a few steps into the town when a huge explosion nearly jolted me off my feet. I whipped my head around and was greeted by a horrific sight: our ship, still docked at the pier, was now a tower of flames. "Zuko," I exclaimed, hurrying my way back. I didn't know what caused the explosion, or if the ship was still sailable after the blast. There was only one thing in my mind after that hit, and that was my nephew's safety. He had been through too much and came too far to be shot down like this, and I could only hope he survived that attack.

The smoke and fire became almost too much for me to bear, despite my skills as a fire bender. Debris littered the harbour as our ship collapsed in on itself, leaving very little still intact. I kept scanning the waters, hoping Zuko was somewhere among the mess, still clinging onto life. After an agonizing few minutes, I saw a body still clad in a Fire Nation uniform, albeit a burned and ripped one. There was no doubt in my mind it was my nephew's body.

Ignoring the cold sting that overwhelmed my senses as I submerged into the water, I swam as quickly as I could, navigating through the debris field as I reached my nephew's body. "Prince Zuko, you can't give up yet," I uttered, grabbing onto his body and slowly dragging him to shore. Even though his body was battered and bloodied, I could still feel a pulse and breathing coming from him, meaning he could still be saved.

I pulled Zuko into a nearby lodge where I could analyze his wounds. There was no medic around at this late hour, meaning I had to take care of my injured nephew all by myself. As I pulled off the burned clothing and examined the wounds, I took the chance to reassure Zuko. "Nothing means more to me than you getting out of that ship alive," I stated. Ever since I lost Lu Ten back in the Ba Sing Se siege, and kind of took Zuko in as my own. So, for me to see Zuko still alive, I was both relieved and overjoyed.

Even in his state, Zuko told me something that I would never forget. As I tried to stop the bleeding in several areas, my nephew whispered to me, "If I had another chance to choose who could go on this redemption journey with me, I would make the same choice again. I wouldn't even hesitate in having you come along," he ended with a weak smile.

I was so overwhelmed by my happiness with that statement. I knew in the past Zuko had been rather harsh on me, claiming I was lazy and weak, to the point where he felt I wasn't trying hard enough to help him redeem himself. I kept trying to encourage Zuko to see things from a different perspective, but based on Zuko's words alone, it felt like I was just being a nuisance. But I knew deep down, Zuko didn't see me like that, and I was glad he chose to tell me firsthand. With tears in my eyes, I pulled my precious nephew into a tight embrace.

After helping Zuko sit up, I explained to him my idea of what happened. Judging by the large amount of debris and general power of that explosion, I figured it was no accident. There was most likely a bomb or some other explosive planted on that ship, and Zuko merely escaped in the nick of time. "I know this bombing had something to do with Zhao, and I know he must be thinking that a weakling like you perished," I analyzed the events to Zuko. Earlier, Zhao invited me to be part of his invasion force to the North Pole, in which I flatly refused. But based on how Zhao eyed Zuko's swords, I knew he must have suspected Zuko to be the Blue Spirit. It wouldn't past me that Zhao would take this as an excuse to kill my nephew, which only made me angrier. I normally tried to be as easygoing about things as possible, but anyone who tried to harm Zuko would force me to retaliate, something I wouldn't normally try in any given situation.

But my nephew showed incredible courage and resiliency here, opting to forgo recovery period just to join me to the North Pole. I was extremely touched and proud of Zuko, showing that much dedication to his task even though he could have slowed down. Some people might call it crazy, and even I had doubts about it too, but I was certain that Zuko knew what he was getting into. Leaving him for a moment, I returned to the shipwreck to see what supplies we could still salvage before we left. There was a lot of prep work to be done, that's for sure.

By the time we got ready, Zuko was wearing a different set of Fire Nation clothes, one that blended him in with the regular soldiers instead. Zuko's wounds were all bandaged up, and aside from some minor aches and pains, he was pretty much good to go. Given that our ship was blown to smithereens, the only way we could go to the North Pole was with Zhao. "I will accept his offer to be his advisor, and you can pose as part of the crew. No one will know that you are smuggled to the North Pole with him, and you can capture the Avatar," I instructed Zuko. There was still considerable risk in this plan, but I was still hopeful that everything would work out.

But whatever the case, I felt it was all for the best. Since his banishment, I made it my mission to guide him along the way. No matter how much road was still ahead of us, and how many hardships along the way, this was something I had to do. For the betterment of my nephew, and hopefully the betterment of the Fire Nation, I was going to see him through to the end.

________________________________________

**Zuko's POV**

"Looks like you did some serious shopping," Uncle commented as he glanced around the cave we called our home for the last little while. The Siege of the North was an utter disaster, as Zhao not only didn't manage to defeat the Northern Water Tribe, but threatened the lives of their most sacred, but mortal, spirits. Uncle Iroh always said the spirits weren't to be tampered with, but Zhao ended up killing one, turning the other into a monster that destroyed our navy. Only when the tribe's princess sacrificed her life did the monster end its spree and everything returned to normal, all of which Uncle observed.

As for the Avatar, I nearly made off with his unconscious body before a blizzard trapped us in a cave. That was when the Avatar woke up, his friends arrived, knocked me out, and they hurried back to the Spirit Oasis. When I regained consciousness, Uncle took me out of the North Pole and into somewhere safe, in a port resort town where he could enjoy a massage. I still didn't have a ship to call my own, meaning my plans to catch the Avatar had to be shelved for now, leaving me with no choice but to stew in my thoughts.

"Do you like your new teapot?" I asked Uncle as he picked up the trinket. It was at the resort when Azula, my sister, came to fetch Uncle and I back to the Fire Nation. Her ship captain let it slip that we were to be taken back as prisoners, which let loose a huge battle where Uncle got us out just before things got totally out of hand. We cut our hair and cemented our status as fugitives, leaving us in the wild with nothing more than items taken from nearby villages for survival. I was sickened by the way those villagers treated Uncle and me, but also with the way that Uncle accepted this humiliating lifestyle. He seemed so ready to cleanse himself of the Fire Nation, and adapted into the Earth Kingdom. Did he not care for his honour? Likewise, what about caring about my honour?

To no one's surprise, Uncle went on one of his tangents again, claiming there was no shame in being down on our luck or something like that. But for me, there was only one thing in my mind. "There's no honour for me without the Avatar," I spat, trying to wipe out all his talk of humility and the simple life, "if not, then there is no hope at all."

"No, Zuko! You must never give in to despair!" Uncle exclaimed, grabbing me by the shoulders. I tried not to look into his eyes, but I could tell that Uncle was extremely concerned by my statement. His eyes were probably wide, his mouth slightly gaping and his face tense as he told me not to surrender to my lowest instant. "In the darkest time, hope is something you give yourself. That is the meaning of inner strength!"

Hearing enough, I flicked Uncle's hand off my shoulder and slipped into the woods, hoping to do some soul-searching. So far, I appreciated Uncle supporting me all this time. With the Siege of the North and how he sneaked me onto Zhao's boat, I truly felt he was not only lending a hand, but because he truly believed he was a part of my journey. He wanted to see me through, given that I was now his surrogate son. He really wanted to see my moment in glory, no matter how remote its chances would be now. It was something I was truly grateful for as I bonded with him.

But I had increasing difficulty with Uncle's attitude. He was fully nonchalant with exile, losing his status as a former general and royalty member. Earlier, he was totally willing to beg for food, and let the lowly peasants walk over him as he sang and danced like a circus animal. It made me wonder if he wanted to return home at all, as he seemed content living life in the Earth Kingdom and intermingling with peasants. Was he even concerned with his life? He was belittled, humiliated, and stripped of his dignity, and he still claimed I had to regain hope? What hope was there when there was nothing left?

But knowing Uncle, I knew his words had some impact on me. Even if he didn't care for hope, I did, and I wanted my honour back. Uncle might be satisfied with this low class lifestyle, but I wasn't joining in. If he wouldn't rejoin my quest to catch the Avatar, then I would do it alone. Uncle was probably too stubborn to admit it, but I would no longer be babied. I was no longer staying clingy, looking to him for answers to my every question. If I wanted my honour back, then the only way was to do it all by myself.

Striding back to the cave, I approached Uncle. My heart was heavy with emotion, because while I was determined to set course for this new phase of my life, I was still very attached to my new fatherly figure. But for now, I must set my emotions aside, and had to proceed. "I thought a lot about what you said," I described to Uncle, "we no longer have anything to gain by traveling together. I have to find my own way."

For I while, there was complete silence. I couldn't read Uncle's expression, as he had his back to me, but I could probably guess what he was like right now. He had his back hunched, and his face was probably creased with anxiety. Uncle was never much for expressing his thoughts, except during tea tasting or bargain hunting, but I knew that he left behind a part of himself with me. And as I picked up my belongings, I also realized that I left behind a part of myself with him. We were forever bonded, and even as we parted ways, we would still be forever in each other's hearts and minds.

As I entered the woods, ready to embark on this new journey, I still hoped one day I could see Uncle again. We might be separated, but I knew how much this individual meant to me, and how much I meant to him. I would never be who I was today without him, and should I restore my honour, I would never want to share that with anyone but him. But for now, my journey had just begun, and for the first time, I had to do it alone.

________________________________________

**Toph's POV**

"You seem a little too young to travel by yourself," the old man commented dryly as he handed me a cup of tea. It was a rather odd situation, as I was nothing more than a rich girl stuffed up in her overprotective parents' home. The only reason I managed to escape was when the Avatar, an air bender named Aang, visited my house and wanted me to tag along in his journey. To no one's surprise, my parents rejected the offer, claiming that I was blind and weak. That led me to sneak out of the house by myself, and offering to join Aang as his earth bending teacher. It was something that finally made me free.

"And you seem a little too old," I retorted, grabbing the tea out of his hand. If the spat with my parents didn't put me in a terrible enough mood, then the recent fight with Aang's group certainly did. We were being pursued by the Fire Nation in an advanced metallic machine, and I merely suggested Aang's bison was part of the problem. Appa's fur left an easy trail for the Fire Nation to follow. It led to Aang and his sugary water bending teacher Katara to throw me out of their group. But for me, it felt more like I threw them out. I left my parents to enjoy freedom, not to let clueless people boss me around. Packing my bags, I bolted out of there and went off on my own.

And that was where I found myself, bumping into this goofy old man who was alone in the woods. After a quick introduction to each other, he decided we should have some tea. I only knew him for a few minutes, but deep down, I knew what he felt. So typical of people in his generation, he found me weak and frail, and had to do stuff for me. "I know what you're thinking," I began, "I look like I can't handle being by myself. You wouldn't even let me pour my own cup of tea." I turned away, sipping in silence.

But my newfound friend, Iroh, disagreed. "I poured your tea because I wanted to, and for no other reason," he explained, no tinge of anger or frustration in his voice. That almost caught me off-guard, as I never would have expected such calmness from a member of the generation (or for this case, maybe two generations) before me.

Shaking the thought away, it was best that I stayed on topic. Besides, I doubted he knew much about me, so why not tell him what I truly felt? "People see me and think I'm weak. They want to take care of me," I responded. For some reason, it was hard to muster up toughness before Iroh. "But I can take care of myself, by myself," I emphasized.

Again, there was no anger from Iroh as he compared me to his nephew. "There is nothing wrong with letting people who love you help you," he replied, "not that I love you, because I just met you!" He ended with a chuckle.

I couldn't help but let out a laugh of my own. For an old guy, I was starting to like Iroh already. Somehow, being around him made me feel something I never felt before. I had someone who truly listened to me and respected my thoughts without interfering. "So where is your nephew?" I asked, curious to hear what type of boy he was, "Is he lost?"

"Yes, a little bit," Iroh responded. I couldn't tear my attention away from Iroh. It was odd to cross paths with such a fascinating and complex man in a forest, and I had to admit that his stories were almost intriguing. "His life has recently changed, and he's going through very difficult times. He's trying to figure out who he is, and he went away. I know he doesn't want me around right now, but if he needs me, then I'll be there."

That comment truly touched me, as I now realized what it meant to bond with a person. It wasn't about control or dominance, or letting loose whenever one felt like it; it was about understanding people, and gaining their trust and respect. My parents never tried understanding me, and in turn I never tried to gain the trust and respect of Aang's group. Perhaps this tea session with Iroh was helpful after all? "Your nephew is very lucky, even if he doesn't know it." I commented with admiration.

I quickly finished my tea and thanked Iroh for his company. But surprisingly, it was Iroh who was gracious, claiming that it was one of life's most fascinating events to share tea with a total stranger. Before I left, I made sure Iroh knew how much he helped me, and I offered him some advice in return. "About your nephew, maybe you should tell him that you need him too." After all, I could tell based on the way Iroh told me about him that they had a true bond. Perhaps that was a good way to let them re-bond?

By the time I returned to the area where I left the group, it was a disaster. There was fur all over the place, leading away from the river and into the distance. Figuring that those three girls must have caught up to Aang, I realized I had to take action quickly. Using my earth bending to create a wave of soil, I surfed on it through the landscape and returned to where Iroh was, hoping I could convince him to help me. I couldn't really describe who those girls were, given that I never got a chance to touch the ground when they were nearby, but Iroh was extremely concerned after hearing me out. "Take me with you," he suggested, "I think you'll want all the help you could get."

My mind was flustered as we surfed our way down the fields, with Iroh telling me which direct to go, based on how Appa's fur landed. "It ends right there," I heard Iroh's anxious voice told me, "It seems to be some abandoned town."

As we brought ourselves to ground level, I could feel from the vibrations on the ground a huge battle going on. One of the girls, the one my group believed to be the team leader, was battling Aang, Katara and Sokka all at once. Surprisingly, she was holding her own, meaning I had to interfere. Letting Iroh run off, I started my earth bending on the teenage fire bender, throwing her off balance.

That got the girl on the run, sneaking into an alley and to the other side of the ghost town. But we didn't have to pursue too far, as Iroh was waiting around the corner and blocked her progress with his body. From the ground, I could feel another presence by Iroh, this time a teenager around the same age as the girl we were chasing. Perhaps this was the nephew Iroh referred to earlier? Either way, we had a bigger task at hand, as now six people surrounded this fleet-footed girl into a corner. "I'm done," she conceded, "I know when I'm beaten. You got me. A princess surrenders with honour."

That seemed to surprise all of us, as I couldn't feel a single person moving. Iroh was to the far right of our formation, and I could feel from his body posture that his head was tilting back and forth, wondering what we were up to. Somehow, I knew Iroh didn't expect things to go down quietly, and was most likely trying to warn us to be on our guard. It might be the case that one false move could lead us to losing this battle. Sensing Iroh's gesture, I firmly stood my ground, not about to give an inch.

But the final move shocked us as the girl aimed a fire blast at Iroh, zinging him in the abdomen and sending him sprawling. We barely gathered ourselves before all four elements were sent towards the girl, creating a huge plume of smoke. But for me, whether we hit or not wasn't most important. We edged up to the heavyset man, now unmoving on the ground. His nephew knelt beside him, roaring in frustration. I felt from the ground vibrations that Iroh was alright, but not for long if he didn't get medical attention.

But we were in no place to offer anything, even with Katara the healer, as the nephew shot a fire blast at us, ordering us to leave. Seeing the situation, we had no choice but to go silently. While I wanted to give Iroh's nephew a tongue lashing, I held it in. There was no point arguing now, especially in this scenario where his loved one was dying. Moreover, hanging around with Iroh had taught me that sometimes, conflict could be avoided by different ways. This was something I could learn, given how different it was from earth bending, where one must tackle any obstacle head on. I figured Iroh was a man of many stories, and had an appreciation for other cultures that surpassed anyone.

But for now, I had my own journey to go on. I had to start teaching Aang earth bending, and hopefully used this opportunity to see the world more. Maybe, one day, I could be like Iroh, and be able to tell the world of my experiences being immersed in other cultures. I hoped I could see Iroh again, so that I could share these stories with him. Besides, with a tea-maker like that, who would want to go to a tea shop?


	16. Iroh, Part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Each character grows up with a set of experiences unique to themselves. Watch each person describe what went through their minds and how they changed as they reacted to the world. These are their stories, these are their rites of passage.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: Michael DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko own Avatar.

**Iroh's POV**

"There is energy all around us," I explained, moving Zuko and I out of that broken down and abandoned hut. I did manage to reunite with my nephew after a few days, meeting up with him again at a nearby ghost town when Azula caught up with us again. Luckily, I ran into a young blind earth bender named Toph who really gave me some good advice, telling me I ought to show Zuko I needed him as much as he needed me. It was with this idea that I wanted to go back to my nephew, as a way of re-bonding with him.

But nothing prepared me for what Azula did to me, when Toph and I got to the ghost town. Apparently, Azula now knew the Avatar was in the Erath Kingdom, and started her own pursuit, rivalling that of Zuko's. Zuko was still intent to catch the Avatar for his purposes, but it was evident that he was no match for Azula. The worst thing to happen was Azula nailed me with lightning in a sneak attack, putting me out of commission for days. By the time I regained consciousness, I knew Azula was already steps ahead of Zuko in this race.

Realizing that Azula's main advantage was lightning generation, I figured it was time I trained my nephew in this technique. Explaining to him how positive and negative energies were always swirling around us, I asked him to feel for the balance of the two energies, making it so that there was a mix of them, before triggering a release point. Swirling my arms around, I gave my nephew a demonstration, slowly whipping up the electricity around me. I couldn't directly see the look in Zuko's eyes, but I could tell it was a mix of surprise and awe. Gathering the momentum, I pointed my finger into the skies and released the lightning.

As I ended the sequence, Zuko was jumping in excitement, eager to try it. "Remember once you separate the energies, you do not command it. You are simply its humble guide," I reminded him. In that past, Zuko had been very impatient with learning his techniques, to the point where he was forcing the issue on several occasions. With something as difficult as lightning, any false move in dealing with the energies and it could be the end of his life.

One look at Zuko's form, however, and I knew it was disastrous. Not only was he not in the perfectly balanced position, he had no way of feeling for the energy around him. At this rate, I wouldn't be surprised if it blew up in his face. And I thought his few days alone, being lost in the woods, gave him a chance to think about what to do with his life. Now, seeing the way this was going, I believed he was more lost than ever. Maybe I should warn him about...

Oops, too late, as a huge explosion ended up rocking the area. Zuko was thrown several metres back, coughing in the dust and glaring at the cliffs. I could only shake my head as my nephew got frustrated quickly, blasting at the air again and again. Even when I told him that lightning was meant to be used emotionlessly, he insisted on letting his anger get involved. It was no wonder that the attack kept blowing up in his face. As he hollered out, I went back to the hut and made some new tea. Until Zuko calmed down, I wasn't going to talk to him at all.

It was only about the second or third cup of tea before Zuko finally approached me nearly in tears, asking me why it kept failing. "You will not be able to master lightning until you have dealt with the turmoil inside you," I observed. I did feel sympathetic to Zuko, given how much he had to go through in the span of a few months. But right now, until he rectified this problem, there was no way to proceed with his training. "Zuko, you must let go of your feelings of shame if you want your anger to go away. True humility is the only antidote to shame."

But things weren't getting any better for Zuko, who claimed he was prouder than ever. I didn't know if it was how he truly felt, or if Zuko was still in denial over his status as a traitor, but this wasn't the way out. Thinking hard, there must be something I could do to help him counter Azula's lightning. What if there was a way for Zuko to not avoid the power, but faced it head-on, and still lived? Suddenly, a strange experience from my past came up to me.

Grabbing a long branch, I asked Zuko to sit on the ground while I drew out a crude diagram of the four bendable elements. "Fire is the element of power," I began, going through the distinctive traits of the four groups, starting with our own. In my younger years, when I was a different sort of man, I observed how certain traits in other groups often took advantage of their traits in their fighting styles. I admitted that perhaps I wasn't as appreciative of them then, but after Lu Ten's death and my subsequent retirement, I began researching them in fuller detail, leading to my development of this technique a few years ago. Not even Ozai and Azula knew this trick, as I kept it a secret all this time. "Understanding the other elements and the other nations will help you become whole," I concluded, hoping Zuko could see my point.

Zuko seemed to have a hard time digesting the material, claiming it sounded like I was teaching the Avatar rather than the Fire Prince. But I pointed out to him that it was due to the four elements existing simultaneously in one person that made the boy we were pursuing so powerful. Given how many times he eluded Zuko's capture, shouldn't Zuko take a look at why it kept happening? Besides, there was one more tidbit from the trick I was about to teach Zuko, as I developed it after studying the water bending style.

After going through basic theory of water bending, I got Zuko onto his feet and began some movement drills with him. Holding out his arms, I slowly pushed them in circular motion, almost like grazing his hands over a body of water. "A water bender lets their defence become their offence, turning their opponent's energy against them. I learned a way to do this with lightning," I described, gauging Zuko to see if he got used to the motion yet.

Zuko was half into the motion, and half into the prospect of learning how to redirect lightning. Urging me to continue, I released his hands and pointed my right arm at the sky. "You must create a pathway from your fingertips, up your arm, to your shoulder, then down into your stomach. The stomach is the source of energy for your body, it is called the sea of chi. Only in my case, it is more like a vast ocean," I joked, howling in laughter.

But returning to more serious matters, I pointed my left arm in the opposite direction, showing Zuko where the lightning would exit. I warned my nephew to let the lightning go through his stomach and not his heart, otherwise the results could be deadly. Before long, we were both going through the motion, emphasizing the path the lightning must go through in order for the technique to be successful. "Can you feel your own chi?" I asked, keeping up the moves.

Zuko and I kept on practicing for the rest of the afternoon, the sun starting to dip to the west by the time we were done. I had to admit that this was the first time in several years that Zuko actually patiently sat through a fire bending lesson, rather than got edgy and demanded to learn more advanced sets of moves before mastering the basics. Watching him breathe through each stroke, moving his arms slowly but steadily, and concentrating on each and every step like his life depended on it, this was when I realized Zuko was truly absorbing and applying his skills. "Excellent, you got it," I complimented him, opting to end it there for the day.

Then, to the shock of my life, Zuko insisted that I tried using real lightning on him. I nearly tumbled over upon his request. Didn't he realize how dangerous it was using the real thing? Why on earth would I want to put my own nephew through that much risk by shooting him with real lightning? It was out of the question, and I flatly refused him. "If you're lucky, you will never have to use this technique at all," I pointed out. Other than Azula and Ozai, I couldn't recall any other fire bender able to control lightning. Why would Zuko want to try now?

But my nephew wasn't pleased with that decision, hopping onto the Ostrich Horse and insisting he would find his own lightning. I could only shake my head as he sped off into the distance, with only a cloud of dust trailing him. Somehow, even though we made a little bit of progress, there was still a lot of work to do before I could convince him to slow things down a bit. Until he figured things through for the moment, maybe the best thing to do was to enjoy a nice warm cup of tea. And this time, I would be sure not to pick a wrong, poisonous plant to use.

________________________________________

**Iroh's POV**

"So, the Blue Spirit, I wonder who could be behind that mask," I stated with sarcasm, even giving my beard a slight tug as I observed the young man before me. I was just sharing the best news with my nephew yesterday, when several Ba Sing Se aristocrats offered to finance my own tea shop. Even though my former employer was a kind man, there was much more freedom in being my own boss. I even asked Zuko to help me think up of a name, a slogan, and designed some decorations, but then he ran off on me all afternoon.

"What are you doing here?" Zuko demanded, pulling off the blue mask. It wasn't hard to figure out what Zuko was up to when he waved a poster of the Avatar's bison in my face, claiming he had yet another chance to regain his honour. When I saw him go off, I knew I had to follow him. To no one's surprise, here he was, standing next to the bison he sought.

"What do you plan to do now, now that you've found the Avatar's bison?" I asked. From the underwater chamber, there was a sliver of light on the six-legged creature, giving just enough reflection for me to see my nephew's helpless state. "Keep it locked in our new apartment? Should I go put on a pot of tea for him?" I continued, my frustration level rising unusually.

Zuko tilted his eyes back and forth, alternating between the bison and me. I knew he still wanted to get the bison out first, but I had enough of that. "And then what? You never think these things through," I snapped, taking this chance to teach Zuko a very important life lesson, "This is exactly what happened when you captured the Avatar at the North Pole. You had him, and then you had nowhere to go! If his friends hadn't found you, you would have frozen to death!" Zuko had been blinded by his pride for way too long, to the point where he was having trouble conceding points, even though he had been proven wrong. Before he took a turn for the worse, and allowed his pride to become shame, I must rectify this issue immediately.

But the stubborn boy still refused to listen, claiming it was his destiny to hunt down the Avatar. "Stop it, Uncle. I have to do this!" he responded, his tone bordering between desperate and sad. Inside, I was truly concerned at his current emotional state. No one should go through such a painful experience where he was forced to choose between two tough choices. But for the sake of Zuko's personal growth, it was something I must force him to think through.

Taking a deep breath, I let it all out. "I'm begging you, Prince Zuko! It's time you begin to look inward, and ask yourself the big question. Who are you? And what do you want?" There was no way Zuko ought to be bound by those trying to control him, like Ozai or Azula. While I didn't expect him to accept my methods completely, he ought to at least understand that there was another way out, whether he liked the alternative or not.

Zuko let out a loud cry, throwing down his swords and the blue mask in exasperation. Ozai and Azula might not care much for him, but I did, and I wanted my nephew to live free and strong. A little while back, I went to the same area where Lu Ten lost his life in battle. It was no longer a field littered with army equipment or mashed gravel. Rather, there was grass growing over it, with a few trees as well. I picked the biggest one to place my son's portrait against, lit two incense sticks and offered some fruit. I told him that my biggest regret had always been that I couldn't spend as much time helping him as I did with other people. But looking back, I knew it was because of Lu Ten that I became a better person, reaching out more and letting people know that I cared. Hopefully, if I did see him in the Spirit World, he would tell me I succeeded.

My nephew finally lifted his feet, almost like his shoes were made of lead as he unclipped each chain holding the bison's feet. "I'm going to free the bison," he informed me, "And hope that the Avatar can find him." As the last chain was removed, he motioned to the source of light, indicating to the bison that there was a way out.

I couldn't help but breathe a huge sigh of relief as the Sky Bison slowly lumbered its way out. Placing a hand on my nephew's shoulder, I ushered him back out as well. It was by far the most difficult decision Zuko was ever faced with, and I was glad he made the right one. Deep down, I knew there was a different sort of destiny that Zuko had to face, and it wasn't with going back to the Fire Nation where his father and sister could manipulate him into doing more harm. It was time that he started thinking about his future on his own, and I was very proud of him in making this choice. As we climbed back through the entrance we went in from earlier, I told him how happy I was. "Leave it behind," I advised him, both of the blue mask and his past.

As the mask hit the water and slowly disappeared from view, I could now turn my focus on making Zuko truly move on. While it was one thing to no longer dwell on the past, it was another to build a new life for himself. Even though I would require his help in my tea shop, it was time I encouraged Zuko to build on his current foundation here in Ba Sing Se. Zuko could have a good future here, and there was still time for him to know the ways of the world before he moved on to bigger things. But for now, I must teach Zuko how to appreciate simpler skills of life first, such as how to live among those not of the royal of noble background.

The walk back to our apartment was silent, but the second we got inside, Zuko told me he didn't feel very well. I didn't pay much notice to Zuko's condition until he collapsed onto the ground, moaning and groaning in discomfort. I immediately rushed for him, turning him onto his back and feeling around his body. There was no doubt about this one: Zuko was heating up with a fever I had never seen before. "I want water," he murmured, pointing at his throat.

I removed his shirt, now caked with his perspiration, and placed him under covers. This was something he had to sweat out, almost like how he had to fight out his every struggle. Deep down, I knew this was going to be an internal struggle, as Zuko's act of freeing the bison was in total contradiction with his task for the last three years. Stepping into the kitchen, I brought out some clean drinking water and a towel, hoping to use this to both cool Zuko's fever and quench his thirst. "You're burning up," I observed, wetting the towel and wiping Zuko's forehead.

Zuko didn't even wait for me to ladle out the water; instead, he reached across and chugged down the entire container. I had to admit I was shocked by this, but also realizing this was part of his transformation. "You are going through a metamorphosis, my nephew," I told him as he struggled to get sleep, "it will not be a pleasant experience, but when you come out of it, you will become the beautiful prince you were always meant to be."

The only response I got from Zuko was a couple more murmurs, now showing much less energy than before, when he chugged down all that water. Whatever the case, I could only this came out for the better for Zuko. Fire prince or not, I knew he was destined to a fulfilling life, and I would love to be there to guide him for as long as he required it.

________________________________________

**Zuko's POV**

"Uncle, I don't understand," I raised my concern as I had my rendezvous with my surrogate father in this underground chamber beneath the Earth Kingdom royal palace. After my incident with the bison, I went through a painful few days, rendered bedridden and running a continuous fever. The details were blurry, but I recalled Uncle telling me that this was the beginning of a big transformation within me. It was to test my entire make-up as a person, challenging my beliefs and forcing me to face my destiny.

And true to his word, it was an experience that left some vivid images in my mind, even though I only had spotty memories of it. I saw a scene where I was the new Fire Lord surrounded by two dragons that gave me conflicting advice, and another one where I woke up with a shaved head and blue arrow tattoos, resembling the very Avatar that I sought to capture. It was a confusing few moments, but by the time I recovered, I told Uncle I was ready to start a new life with him. In my mind, here was not just a new chance for our lives, but it also allowed my uncle and me to move on from the painful years that we had in the Fire Nation.

"What are you doing with the Avatar?" I demanded, pointing at the bald boy standing across from us. Our tea shop opened for less than a week, and already we had an invitation from the Earth King to serve him tea. We were originally waiting for him in his private dining quarters when suddenly, we were surrounded by Dai Li agents, led by none other than my manipulative sister Azula. While Uncle proposed escaping, I insisted on staying back to fight Azula, only to have the coward turn tail and sent the Dai Li on me. After a few hits, I was thrown into this underground dungeon, surrounded by bright green crystals with only the Avatar's water bending teacher as my companion and cellmate.

"Saving you, that's what," the Avatar curtly retorted, looking over the shoulder of the taller girl dressed in blue. Had it not been for Uncle blocking me, I would pound that kid to a pulp. If his girlfriend's rants about how I destroyed her family weren't enough to test my patience, then this cocky shrimp's attitude was. I surely wondered how the Avatar could bend with a couple of these crystals shoved up his nostrils.

But Uncle prevented any damage from being done, claiming that we ought to have a talk. "Go help out your other friends," he instructed our two foes, "we'll catch up to you." I could only grit my teeth as Uncle allowed them to leave. Why did Uncle join up with them? What was he trying to prove here?

Turning to me, Uncle offered his advice. "You're not the man you used to be, Zuko. You are stronger and wiser and freer than you have ever been," his words echoed off the rocky walls while the green reflections of the crystals paralleled the green and brown Earth Kingdom clothing that Uncle and I now sported, "and now you have come to the crossroads of your destiny." He concluded with emphasis. Somehow, I could tell this was a lecture like no other I had received from him before.

I glanced over at the heavyset man, realizing that my trust and faith in him now weighed heavier than ever before. We now faced a new life, but it seemed like our old life didn't want to go without a fight. Sure it was tempting to join Uncle in Ba Sing Se and worked in our tea shop, but with Azula on our doorsteps and the Avatar roaming in the vicinity, could I truly give them up for good? "It's time for you to choose. It's time for you to choose good," Uncle insisted, his tone gentle but firm.

Just as I considered his words, a series of crystals shot up from the ground, trapping Uncle in a complex maze while I looked on. In the distance, two Dai LI agents slid down from the opening, followed by my sister. "I expected this kind of treachery from Uncle, but Zuko," Azula stated, slowly stepping towards me, "Prince Zuko, you're a lot of things, but you're not a traitor, are you?" she questioned, her eyes thinning to darts.

I tried not to let her words influence me, realizing that she was probably up to her old tricks again. "Release him immediately," I hissed, getting into a fighter stance. While she had a life-long grudge against me, it wasn't fair that she brought Uncle into this. In my mind, Uncle had been the most generous and caring individual for us both, second only to our mother Ursa. So, to see Azula take Uncle as a hostage just to intimidate me, this was absolutely unacceptable, and I was willing to fight to the death to protect him.

"It's not too late for you, Zuko," Azula continued, her tone nonchalant as ever. I knew she was up to something, but I couldn't say what. Glancing around, she went on to discuss how this was another opportunity for me. "You can still redeem yourself."

"The kind of redemption she offers is not for you," Uncle chimed in from behind me. Even without saying anything, I knew what Uncle was trying to tell me. Azula was up to her old tricks again, and I ought to be extra careful when dealing with her.

But Azula brushed Uncle aside, stating that her plans transcended the Fire Nation. "I've plotted every move of this day, this glorious day in Fire Nation history, and the only way we win is by fighting together," she exclaimed, "At the end of this day, you will have your honour back. You'll have Father's love. You'll have everything you want!" In my mind, while part of me still felt she was setting a trap, the offer felt too good to reject. Those were the things I had always wanted, so why not reach out for them now?

But Uncle's voice snapped me back to reality. "Zuko, I am begging you. Look into your heart and see what it is that you truly want." I glanced back at the man who went through these experiences with me, and realized that to go with Azula would mean abandoning him. Even with my honour on the line, it was Uncle, not Azula or my father, who was doing all the hard work to help me. Uncle was the one who became a fugitive with me, and Uncle was the one who worked so hard to let us regain at least a bit of our dignity. Could I really make the choice to cast him aside and go with Azula?

As Azula marched off, claiming I was free to choose, I couldn't help but think about that weird experience I had. I was in the Fire Lord's seat, with two dragons curled up on the pillars to my either side. The blue dragon spoke in Azula's voice, her tempting tone enough to lull my security away. But on the other side, the red dragon sounded like Uncle, telling me to stay alert and trying to fend off the blue dragon. Was that some type of precursor to this event? In the dream sequence, the blue dragon supposedly defeated the red one, so did that mean Uncle would lose this battle?

As image after image swamped my mind, one word stuck out in the end: life. It was a matter of what type of life I chose to lead, and what type of life would be in store for me based on each choice. While I might enjoy an easy, relaxed life as a tea server, I realized the enormous potential behind going back to the Fire Nation with my honour restored. As the Fire Prince, I could probably help Uncle open ten tea shops, and ordered that only Uncle's brands of tea be served at our palace. Besides, Uncle had always said his greatest military failure was at Ba Sing Se, so why not let Uncle get a second shot at the walled city? Maybe this time, he would return a hero by catching the Avatar with me.

Without a second thought, I shed the outer layer of clothing and raced after Azula, not even bothering to listen to Uncle's calls from the previous chamber. I wasn't doing it just for me, but for Uncle as well. The next chamber, much wider and brighter than the last, greeted me with a battle scene, where my sister stood between the Avatar and Katara in a stare-down. Unleashing a fire bomb of my own, I blasted the area between them, getting all their attention as I edged up to the Avatar. Seeing a twisted look of fear on the bald boy's face, I unleashed a series of fire punches, putting him on the defensive.

Before long, the Avatar was on the run, leaping onto pillars and ledges while I tried to pull him down with a series of fire whips. It didn't matter what Azula and Katara were doing, nor did I see any of these obstacles as an issue. What was more important now was to defeat this group and returned to the Fire Nation as heroes, not just for me, but also for Uncle Iroh. Out of all of us here, he was the one most deserving of that status, even more deserving than me. There was no way in my mind that anyone of his history should be shunned like that, especially with all his dedication and achievements for our nation. Add all the love and respect he showed me, and I had to repay him somehow.

We soon found ourselves on the defensive as the Avatar held me back with a huge boulder drop while Katara wrapped water around Azula's limbs, causing her to teeter. We decided to switch position and have my sister go after the air bender while I tackled Katara. Water and fire whips sliced across the battleground. "I can't lose, not without redeeming Uncle," I urged myself on, parrying and jousting with the water bender. I tried to include some of Uncle's techniques in my fight, realizing that a water bender would use defence as their offence. So far, I hadn't done anything fiery, opting to focus on smooth and slower attacks. But it actually worked, as Katara couldn't do anything that penetrated past me. Deep down, a part of me really wanted Uncle to see me battle here.

We finally got our much desired help when the Dai Li rushed into the room, knocking the Avatar off from his spot and sending the bald boy sprawling to the ground. With that settled, it let Azula and I gang up on Katara, knocking the rhythm out of her water whips and sending her flying as well. Soon, Dai Li agents covered the entire chamber, outnumbering them at least fifty to two. Sensing there was no way to fight, the boy crumpled to the ground, creating a green crystal tent to cover himself. I could only cock my eyebrow at this move, trying to remember what Uncle told me about air benders. They tended to avoid conflict, giving up material goods to live a free life. So was that what Uncle referred to? By encasing himself in a tent, the Avatar was going to step away from the fight? In that case, he might as well surrender himself to us then!

But what followed was a truly stunning sight. The Avatar broke out of the green tent, his body hovering in a brilliant pillar of white light. Pure energy resonated through this room, leaving me in stunned silence. Uncle told me that the Avatar, when combining all four elements together, was a fearsome force, and seeing this alone was enough to shock me. It was so dangerous, yet serene; powerful, yet peaceful. It made me, for just one moment, forget that I was fighting this individual, and let me pause to absorb this scene. Uncle told me that I ought to take in more different sights and sounds to make me a more enlightened person, so maybe this was something I ought to do now?

But the scene was soon shattered as Azula sent a blast of lightning at the Avatar, piercing the boy right through his body. Now lifeless, the limp body of the Avatar sailed down from the ceiling, with nothing but rocks underneath to break his fall. For a while, I couldn't move a muscle, as I realized that Azula had just wounded, if not killed, the most powerful being in the world. While it would pretty much guarantee us good words from Father, I really didn't know what to think. Uncle had said before that spiritual beings were not to be reckoned with, so what implications would this have for us?

I barely got time to consider that option as a huge wave swamped us, dispersing our crowd as Katara rushed to the Avatar's aide. She picked up the unconscious boy, a helpless look on her face as Azula and I regrouped. We had to finish the job, given how far we came. Uncle and I would return as heroes, I knew it.

Suddenly, a sea of fire rushed past us, cutting us off from our targets. I turned my head to the source and, to my horror, it was Uncle Iroh! Unleashing a barrage of fire from his fists, he urged Katara to leave with the Avatar immediately. "I'll them off as long as I can!" He shouted amidst a hailstorm of fire balls, keeping even the Dai Li at bay.

If I stunned by the Avatar being shot, then I was truly appalled by Uncle's latest move. Didn't he realize what was going on? Why was he undoing my good work? There was nothing I could do as I stood paralyzed, not knowing what to say as the Dai Li shot up crystals and pinned Uncle in place. I tried to gauge Uncle's expression, and his face said it all. Dipping his eyes, he tilted away from me, his lips pursed into a fume. Without a doubt, I knew he was extremely ashamed of me, and didn't want to have anything to do with my latest achievement, no matter how great it was.

For the rest of the day, I was in complete silence, not knowing what to think. I had what I wanted, with my honour in sight, but it was at a great expense. I had to burn the very bridge that brought me here, turning the one relative I loved the most into a prisoner rather than a hero. "I betrayed Uncle," I muttered.

"No, he betrayed you," Azula pointed out, claiming that Uncle had a chance to choose our side, but defended the Avatar instead. Even then, something about the case made it not feel right. Was Uncle truly nothing but a pawn to me? Could I truly cast him aside all because he no longer shared my goals? Even though he was now truly a traitor, did that justify my actions in abandoning him like that?

"No, it can't be," I murmured, stepping away from Azula. I couldn't have done the wrong thing, because I had the right intention. I wanted Uncle to regain glory with me, and it was him who chose to cast me aside. Determined to set things right, I made a note to cut all ties with this person, at least for the time being. If he didn't see it as a goal worth pursuing, then he might as well say this nephew of his wasn't worth it either.

________________________________________

**Zuko's POV**

"You brought this on yourself, you know," I stared into the dark cell before me, my eyes squinting at the back of the shadowed figure hunched over at the far wall. It had been over a week since my glorious return to the Fire Nation, where my sister and I were feted as heroes. Father now restored my honour, I was respected by staff and servants alike in the palace, and I now started dating my childhood friend Mai. For now, I felt like life couldn't be better, and nothing could drag me down.

But soon, my actions at Ba Sing Se caught up to me, as the man I decided to cut all ties with soon appeared in my thoughts like an apparition. Uncle was returned to the Fire Nation as a traitor, and was sentenced to life imprisonment. While Dad was proud of how I sided with the nation by turning on Uncle, it ate away at my mind that Uncle chose not to join my quest, almost like he did it just to rebel against me. Even when I had his interests at heart, how could he refuse my offer?

And that was where I found myself, sneaking out of the palace in the middle of the night and visiting Uncle Iroh at his cell. I made sure the night-shift guards kept my visit a secret, as not to spread the news of my presence. Deep down, Uncle was still on my mind, as I had to figure out what he was up to. "We could have returned together," I scolded the seated figure with his back towards me, "You could have been a hero!"

Surprisingly, there was no response from the usually talkative man. I knew Uncle often had weird proverbs and other wisdom during times like this, so to get the silent treatment from him was quite alarming. "You have no right to judge me. I did what I had to do in Ba Sing Se, and you're a fool for not joining me," I insisted.

Again, no response from the heavyset man. Was he trying to play mind games with me? What was he trying to prove by not addressing my points? Maybe this was part of his plan all along, knowing that I vowed to cut ties with him, but realizing that I was the first to crack and returned begging to him. Finally, my frustration took over as I grabbed the nearby stool and threw it against the wall, burning it to a crisp with a fire punch. "You're a crazy old man," I shouted, my voice echoing off the dark, damp walls, "And if you weren't in jail, you'd be sleeping in the gutter!"

I stormed out in a huff, not wanting to deal with this disgusting individual for another second. If he felt it was alright to spend the rest of his life branded as a traitor and a prisoner, then that was his prerogative. One reason I went after the Avatar in Ba Sing Se was because I cared about Uncle too much to leave him out of the loop, and wanted to use this chance to bring us both back to the Fire Nation with our honour restored. But even in the face of life imprisonment, this former Fire Nation crown prince and general was willing to go with that. Didn't he have any dignity inside?

For the next few days, I tried my best to take my mind off Uncle, realizing that it was nothing more than his plan to make me feel guilty. Instead, I focused my energy on Mai, who I had bonded with during this time. Unlike Uncle, Mai truly appreciated what I was all about, and accepted my actions without question. As we enjoyed our picnic at the edge of the capital caldera, my mind was finally at ease from all that turmoil.

But then, Azula had to ruin the moment, claiming that she found out about my visits with Uncle. While she claimed to be looking out for me by warning me not to see him, it brought back a host of memories that pushed my legacy in question. What if the Avatar didn't die in Ba Sing Se? What if Father continued to have doubts about what happened? Azula told me she gave me the credit for slaying the last air bender, but what if that was a trap to get me in trouble? Suddenly, confusion swept my mind.

Believe it or not, I ended up returning to the very man I berated earlier, realizing that he was the only one I trusted with this conundrum. So, in the dead of the night, I returned to the same prison cell and approached him. And in my attempt to make nice, I brought him some dinner. "I admit it, I have everything I've always wanted, but it's not at all how I thought it would be," I explained, sliding the box of komodo chicken into the cell, "the truth is, I want your advice. I think the Avatar's still alive. I know he's out there, and I'm losing my mind!" I exclaimed, grabbing onto the bars.

Again, Uncle refused to respond, forcing me to beg him for help. "I'm so confused, I want your help!" I pleaded, hoping he would turn around. I never expected it coming, but now I regretted threatening to sever all ties with him. Maybe had I not gone that route, he might still wish to speak with me? He knew how important he was to me, so why did he have to ignore me, despite the Ba Sing Se incident?  
Soon, I had enough of him milking my guilt. "Forget it, I'll solve this myself. Waste away in here for all you want!" I yelled, storming out of the cell in a hurry. Right now, I had to find someone who was willing to take on a secret mission for me, one that I had to accomplish before things got too far out of hand.

I ended hiring a strange individual with a third eye tattoo, who I heard had unusual fire bending abilities that could cause great damage. I also heard that he could carry through his missions with stealth and great efficiency, making him the best choice for hunting the Avatar. "I want you to find the Avatar and end him," I muttered, handing him a bag of coins, which the goateed man took into his metallic hand without a word.

The next few days were quite uneasy for me, as I had to juggle my Fire Prince duties all the while worrying over whether the Avatar would pop up again. It didn't help that I was sent on a forced vacation with Azula, Mai and Ty Lee, but overall it gave me some closure. Ember Island allowed me to come to terms with my past, and let me know that at least one person, Mai, was with me on this entire journey. So, even though I had some reservations in my mind, I felt confident enough to carry on with life.

But Uncle's actions still weighed on my mind, as I just couldn't come to terms as to how quickly he disregarded the bond that formed between us during our exile. As I told him many times already, I did what I did at Ba Sing Se for both our interests. Never in my mind had I considered taking actions that threatened his well-being. And even when I tried to reconcile with him, bringing him some palace food as opposed to making him eat prison food, he still rejected me. I wasn't convinced that I meant nothing to him, and that he no longer saw a bond with me. But after the last few incidents, I was no longer sure of that. Whatever Uncle had in mind, it most likely didn't involve me.

________________________________________

**Zuko's POV**

"You sent this, didn't you?" I demanded, waving the note outside Uncle's prison cell. Just when I was getting back into a routine for my life, this bombshell of a note was dropped off mysteriously outside my bedroom door one night. There was no information on the sender or who it was really addressed to. In fact, all it said was that I must figure out the death of my great-grandfather in order to discovery my true destiny.

And what a wild goose chase that led to, as I sneaked out of my room in at night, visiting the Dragon Tooth Catacombs, where the Fire Nation royals were entombed. Inside the chamber of my great-grandfather Sozin, I scoured through pages of documents outlining every detail of his long life and reign as the Fire Lord. From his history with Avatar Roku to his initial ambitions for the war, there was no single piece of information that I could use to clarify my confusion. In fact, all the dates and details only reminded me of how boring history class was in school. If making me sit through another boring history lecture was Uncle's way of torturing me, then I would say he succeeded here.

"I found the secret history, which by the way, should be renamed the history that most people already know!" I yelled, shoving the note into my cloak in disgust. As usual, the old man didn't face me, but at least I could see the side of his face rather than the back of his head. Maybe, with a couple more dirty tricks like this one, he would think we would be even, and started facing me more. "He was still alive in the end!" I added, pointing out Fire Lord Sozin still directed the war even after the Air Nomad Genocide.

Finally, in what seemed like an eternity, Uncle lifted his head to face me. I could barely say anything, my anger starting to subside as I truly saw the face of the man who took care of me. It was smudged and caked with dust and dirt, with strands of loose hair draping over his temples. For a second, I was almost too shocked to speak, as I never imagined Uncle to be in this bad shape. For a while, I truly realized the damage I did to him, and even somewhat regretted my actions.

But it was his words that shocked me the most. "You have more than one great-grandfather, Prince Zuko. Sozin was your father's grandfather," he explained, his body now turned to face me completely. Despite the dimness, his posture was straighter and taller than ever, almost like we spoke as equals even though he was a prisoner while I was currently heir to the throne, "Your mother's grandfather was Avatar Roku."

It was like the whole wall at Ba Sing Se had collapsed onto me as Uncle unveiled this shocking news. "Understanding the struggle between your two great-grandfathers can help you better understand the battle within yourself," he continued as I dropped to my knees, too stunned to even react, "Evil and good are always at war inside you, Zuko. What happened generations ago, can be resolved now, by you! Because of your legacy, you alone can cleanse the sins of our family and the Fire Nation!" he declared.

My eyebrows curled to impossible shapes, wondering why Uncle now assigned the task of restoring balance to the world to me, rather than the very Avatar that he tried to save in Ba Sing Se. As I looked on, I could only imagine what Uncle was thinking: his generation, with the death of Lu Ten (thus ending Uncle's bloodline) and the sibling rivalry between Uncle and my father, pretty much left the Fire Nation in a mess. Despite our preference for order, there was certainly none as a power struggle ensued. And with Azula being unpredictable and manipulative as ever, I now saw why Uncle approached me: he saw me as the one to regain the nation's hope again.

Before I left, Uncle handed me a headpiece, supposedly the same one Avatar Roku wore when he was still alive. He didn't say anymore to me, only bidding me a good night's rest as I left his prison cell. I still had reservations about how I would proceed with this new information, as I wasn't exactly in the best position to change things up. Last war meeting was a private affair between my father and his closest advisors, hence the unexpected vacation to Ember Island with Azula, Mai and Ty Lee.

Plus, there was no telling that any of Uncle's words held any weight anyway. My father was already planning for an end to the war, and that would bring a great victory to the Fire Nation. Whatever uncertainty or dishonour that was brought upon by ancestors would be rectified then, as the Fire Nation at its peak would be a force to be reckoned with. Surely I could wait until then, after the nation was no longer completely wrapped in a war and I had gained some power, before I raised the issues with Dad, right?

But how wrong could I be, as I was invited to attend the next war meeting, just days before a supposed solar eclipse. My father wanted one final meeting to fine-tune all the details for the end of the war. Even though I behaved perfectly, avoiding the last war meeting disaster, I could tell something was up when he asked me for my opinion. Since I was amongst the Earth Kingdom commoners, he asked me to describe what I felt would be the best way to defeat the Earth Kingdom. It was Uncle's advice to me at my previous war meeting to keep my mouth shut that got me in trouble, so wasn't it ironic that Dad now welcomed my words? Hopefully this wouldn't end with another burn to the face.

Shortly after I told everyone that the Earth Kingdom's stubborn pride meant the people would refuse to concede as long as they had hope, my father and Azula came up with the most vicious and ruthless plan I had ever heard of. Claiming that they had to cut short any hope, the Fire Nation airship fleet would be flown over Earth Kingdom lands where elite fire benders would then raze everything to the ground. I sat in stunned silence as my father explained the plan to the generals, realizing that my Uncle's words were right on. This wasn't a war we were fighting, it was mass genocide. To turn every piece of land from the Wulong Forest to Ba Sing Se into ash was unacceptable to me. No wonder the world hated us right now, with all these disgusting acts that reduced people's lives into nothing. That was when I realized that whatever action required to regain the Fire Nation's glory and to protect the people of the world must be initiated right now.

I decided to make my move on the day of the solar eclipse, just when the entire capital city would be evacuated. Azula heard that the Avatar's group planned an invasion on that day, so the best strategy was to lay low, wait out the eclipse, before launching our full-scale attack on them. While everyone rushed into large underground bunkers, I was at the palace, making my final preparations. I gathered all my essentials, along with my two swords, and prepared to head out. "I'm going to set things right," I decided.

As I entered the bunkers, I thought about how I would confront my father and speak my mind to him, telling him I would no longer conform to his ways and would join the Avatar. But most importantly, I would free Uncle from his prison and apologized to him for my actions. Uncle Iroh was the one who taught me to embrace the world, and he was the one who tried to pull me to the right path when I was lost and confused in my period of exile. So even if I didn't do it for my ancestors or my nation, then at the very least I had to do it for Uncle. Taking a deep breath, I ventured into the abyss below, my mind filled with uncertainty as I started my journey of rectification.

________________________________________

**Zuko's POV**

Despite this being a breezeless summer night, I felt anything but calm and warm as I crouched outside the large tent. My journey of redemption had been anything but uneventful, as I ended up taking a war balloon to chase after the Avatar's group. My status as a traitor and fugitive was pretty much confirmed when I faced off against my father, who tried to shoot me down with lightning. I managed to save myself by using the very technique Uncle taught me, and redirected the blast right back at him. While my nerves were still shaking as I hurried out, I couldn't help but feel a great sense of pride as I didn't let my uncle down. After all that he taught me, the very least I could do was honour this move that he created, something that I vowed never to forget.

But getting acceptance from Uncle again would be the most difficult part, even more difficult than getting acceptance from the Avatar's group. While their blind earth bender, Toph, seemed willing to include me into their group, the rest of the team was adamant in keeping me out. It was only after I tried to ward off the very assassin I hired to hunt them down that they finally welcomed me to the group.

"Are you okay?" I heard a female voice ask from behind me. I lifted my head to see Katara, the water bending girl, hovering above me. It was kind of ironic that she was the one to approach me, as she was the most dead-set throwing me out of the group. The Avatar, Aang, started warming up to me, with the first true test of our bond coming on a trip to the Sun Warriors to learn fire bending from two dragons. He was followed by Sokka, Katara's brother, who requested my help in breaking his father out of prison. But Katara, she only truly accepted me when I brought her face-to-face with the former leader of the Sea Ravens, the man who killed her mother. Thankfully, she managed to find some closure from that incident, allowing her to truly release her hatred of fire benders.

"My uncle hates me, and I know it," I glumly responded. It was just days before Sozin's Comet arrived, and Aang had to take on my father in order to end the war. But for some strange reason, he disappeared from our group in the middle of the night. Even when we tried tracing his scent, it didn't work. So the next best thing was to track down my uncle, who could provide the best wisdom for now. "He loved me and supported me in every way he could, and I still turned against him. How can I even face him?"

"Zuko, you're sorry for what you did, right?" Katara asked. Her words struck hard into my heart, as I realized how truly ashamed I was of my actions. I truly wanted to tell Uncle how much he meant to me, and how wrong it was for me to abandon him. "If you are, then he'll forgive you. He will." Katara assured me.

Taking a deep breath, I slowly made my way into the tent. This camp was actually set up by the Order of the White Lotus, a group of elderly but skilled and wise warriors that transcended borders, united by a common goal: seeking wisdom from philosophy, beauty, and truth. I actually had some experience with them before, as they were the ones who smuggled Uncle and me into Ba Sing Se when we were fugitives, all thanks to Uncle's lotus tile. From what the members told me, my uncle was the leader of the group, colloquially addressed as the Grand Lotus. But for me, it didn't matter how many high ranks he held, as there was only one title that I wished he would regain: Zuko's uncle. It might not mean anything to the world, but it meant everything to me. So was he willing to let that be bestowed on him once again? "Uncle," I began, my voice weak and hoarse.

Only a series of snores greeted me as a heavyset man snoozed away at the bed. If Uncle had a better way of showing he was still himself, this was it. The snoring sounds brought me back to my time in exile, when Uncle and I would be stuck together on a ship or some Fire Nation camp, and his room was usually right next to mine. Even with the doors closed, I still heard him through the walls, reminding me who truly accompanied me through those years. Back then, when the slumber ended, I awoke each morning to light-hearted jokes and confusing philosophies. Now, I doubted I would get any more than a snort. Kind of fitting, I guessed, given how I showed the world what a loser pig I was by betraying Uncle. "It's too late to apologize," I thought, "it's too late."

I could only sit before his bed, letting the thoughts eat away at my mind as his every inhale and exhale counted down to my impending doom. While Uncle slept without any worry, I was a nervous wreck, as I was still wondering what would happen when he woke up and saw my face. Would he shun me the way I shunned him? Perhaps I didn't do a good enough job in the past of convincing him how important he was to me, and now he wouldn't reciprocate that feeling. How about the fact that he mentioned to me, several times, that I was like his surrogate son after Lu Ten died? Maybe that thought was still stuffed in the deepest part of his mind, and there were hopes that it would return?

I could feel the tent warming up as the sun's rays seeped through the opening behind me and under the fabric of the tent. My eyes tilted around nervously, realizing that I didn't sleep at all, but didn't have the courage to do so. Uncle could be seen stirring, meaning judgment time had arrived. Uncle finally lifted his body from the bed, shaking his head a couple of times before pausing. That was when my whole body froze up, as he knew I was here the whole night, and was probably none-too-impressed by it.

To no one's surprise, Uncle whipped his back around, refusing to face me. I could only let my emotions conquer me as I addressed him. "Uncle, I know you must have mixed feelings about seeing me, but I want you to know, I am so, so sorry, Uncle." Warm tears flooded my face as I poured my heart out, knowing full well that I couldn't move on with this shame bottled in me. The fluid clouded my eyes fully, impairing my vision as I continued, "I'm so sorry and ashamed of what I did. I don't know how I can make it up to you…" I blubbered, almost at a loss for words as tears flooded the floor below.

But I couldn't continue as I was violently jerked from my position and into a huge bear hug, with a pair of strong arms putting the squeeze on me. I opened my eyes and felt Uncle there, holding me tight in this embrace. I was hit by a second wave of emotions, this time containing shock, relief, and happiness all at once. "How could you forgive me so easily? I thought you would be furious with me!" I stuttered, not knowing what to say.

Uncle's response told me everything, as his voice was just as hoarse as mine. Filled with emotions and tears of his own, Uncle explained that he had never been angry with me. "I was sad because I was afraid you'd lost your way," he informed me, finally letting me go. Holding my face, he got a good look at me, and also showed me the joyful expression of his own as he continued, "But you found it again, and you did it by yourself too. And I am so happy you found your way here, back to me."

Both of us put on a smile as we embraced one more time. "It wasn't that hard, Uncle. You have a pretty strong scent." I told him how I tried using his old smelly sandal to track him, which ended up being the first joke we shared since our reunion. How I missed those moments, and was I ever happy that it was now regained.

I brought him outside, where Aang's group waited eagerly for me. Every single one of them had a huge smile on their faces as they finally witnessed the long-awaited reunion. After some congratulations and well-wishes on our reconciliation, we gathered for breakfast to discuss our next move. Realizing that a fight against my father was all but inevitable, I insisted that Uncle Iroh be the one to battle him. "We need you to come with us," I insisted, my knuckles turning white as I squeezed my chopsticks to death.

"No, Zuko. It won't turn out well," Uncle replied, claiming that it would only resemble a fierce sibling rivalry in which power-hungry brothers killed each other just to seize power. "The only way for this war to end peacefully, is for the Avatar to defeat the Fire Lord," he concluded in that calm demeanour that I missed listening to so much.

Nodding my head, I realized why he would choose such a method. My Uncle had never truly been a cruel and violent person, despite his vast experience as a fighter. Add the fact that he was close to the spirits and I understood why Uncle wanted Aang to do the job. But Uncle was a former crown prince, so perhaps he could become the new Fire Lord when this was over? "Then would you come to take your rightful place?" I asked.

Again, Uncle refused, claiming that new blood was necessary to renew the Fire Nation and let fire benders regain their honour in the world. "It must be an idealist with a pure heart and unquestionable honour," he stated, "It has to be you, Zuko."

I could only stutter as several pairs of eyes turned to me. From my left to right, I saw Toph, Sokka, the Kyoshi Warrior Suki, and Katara all eagerly waiting for my answer to Uncle's offer. Did they truly believe I could be the one to help Aang restore balance to the world? "But I've made so many mistakes," I pointed out, feeling increasingly uneasy.

Then Uncle said what I thought I would never expect him to say, even with his undying support through the years. "You struggled, you suffered, but you have always followed your own path," he explained. Just when I thought Uncle couldn't be more motivating, he pulled off the surprise of my life as inspiration pooled in his eyes. "You restored your own honour, and only you can restore the honour of the Fire Nation."

I bit my lips, not sure what to make of this. I appreciated everything Uncle told me, especially the amount of faith he placed on me. But I was still only getting used to having him back, and now I must venture onto yet another journey? This time, it was likely that I would have to go alone, as Uncle was intent not to mix too many old ideas in with my fresher ones, so what if I wasn't ready? And even if I could end the war, what must I do to face my people within the Fire Nation, many of whom might be confused by the turn of events? "I'll try, Uncle," I responded, my voice barely above a murmur.

While I pondered over my options, it was decided by our group that Katara and I would head to the Fire Nation capital to face off against Azula. From what I recalled, my father was supposed to lead a fleet of airships to burn down the Earth Kingdom, so that meant Azula was bound to be in the Fire Nation palace. While Toph, Sokka, and Suki went after the air fleet, Katara and I would challenge Azula, leaving Uncle with the Order of the White Louts, who would then tackle Ba Sing Se. "When I was a boy, I had a vision that I would one day take Ba Sing Se. Only now do I see that my destiny is to take it back from the Fire Nation so that the Earth Kingdom can be free again," Uncle stated.

With that, an Eel Hound was brought forth for Sokka's team to head to the airship base, while Katara and I would fly on Aang's Sky Bison to the Fire Nation capital. Even though I knew Azula could very well overpower me, I brimmed with confidence after hearing Uncle's words. Perhaps a new age was about to come, and it was time that we took destiny into our own hands, rather than let things be dictated to us and having us whine about our outcomes. As we gathered one last time before we departed, Uncle gave us his final blessing. "Today, destiny is our friend, I know it," he proclaimed.

As we left the camp, I could only think of all the encouragement Uncle gave me through the years, and how much they meant to me. But it was here that I also realized one thing: I meant a lot to Uncle as well. For him to give up his throne, his ideals, and even his place in the Fire Nation hierarchy all for me, that showed how much faith he had in my abilities. Even with my flaws, he always saw me as the one to restore our nation's honour. So now I realized the stakes were even higher, as I couldn't possibly let the man who taught me everything down. Even with him living out the rest of his life as a tea shop owner in Ba Sing Se, he was still a man that I trusted, respected, and loved. And for that, there was no way I could dishonour the effort he put into bringing me up.

________________________________________

**Iroh's POV**

"And that's how I broke out of prison," I concluded as we finished setting up the final tables. The final battle, which took place on two fronts, was a victory for our side. Aang told me that he was with a giant Lion Turtle the entire time, and the beast dropped him off at the Wulong Forest just in time for the airship fleet to arrive. The Lion Turtle managed to teach Aang an ancient technique that allowed him to strip my brother of his bending without killing him, therefore meeting Aang's goal of not taking a life. I had to admit that I was amazed at that story, given how Lion Turtles were only mentioned in legends. I swore that if I had time, I was research this a bit more.

But mirroring Aang, Zuko also had his successful battle against Azula. Despite not being able to redirect her lightning completely, Katara managed to make enough moves against Azula to chain her down, preventing any more damage from being done. Now, my nephew was crowned Fire Lord. During the coronation, Zuko told the world that he promised me he would restore the honour of the Fire Nation. "But with the Avatar's help, we can get the world back on the right path," I recalled him saying, "And begin a new era of love, peace, and hope."

As Zuko prepared tea cups for our special guests, I pulled out my horn, another item that was sorely missed. During his exile, Zuko thought my music nights on the boat were pointless and boring, but now he realized it was the simple pleasures that meant the most. Being in the company of friends and family, talking to a person that you trusted and respected, and just basking in the warmth and comfort of those who appreciated you in return, these were things that no money and power could grant you. When Zuko and I finally patched things up, I also believed this point was quite significant between us. Both Zuko and I had our trials and tribulations, with me losing my son and Zuko nearly losing his birthright. But it was only when something was lost would one find any value in that something, so I was glad that Zuko was now able to cherish every little thing around him.

While Zuko had much responsibility ahead, starting with the first meeting between a Fire Lord and an Earth King (Kuei, who recently returned to the throne after some time in exile) in decades, he must remember to enjoy the simple pleasures in life. Perhaps it was somewhat fitting that I tried to help him in his thinking so much, as I was the Fire Lord that never was. Maybe by accepting my ideas, Zuko felt he was completing my legacy on the throne? I personally no longer cared to rule, given my age and energy, but to see Zuko become the learned man that he was, I was truly proud of him. It almost felt like things came full circle, with Zuko and I finding each other after I lost my son and his relationship with his father was damaged beyond repair. As I watched everyone while performing my music to them, only one thought crossed my mind…

My name is Iroh. That was my story. Those were my rites of passage.


	17. Toph, Part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Each character grows up with a set of experiences unique to themselves. Watch each person describe what went through their minds and how they changed as they reacted to the world. These are their stories, these are their rites of passage.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: Michael DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko own Avatar.

**Aang's POV**

It was an unusual sight, as this wealthy couple from the Earth Kingdom accepted us into their mansion for dinner. Based on the lavish food and intricate furniture, I could tell that this family was one of high-standing in the Earth Kingdom hierarchy, which only made me feel that much more nervous. After all, other than going to the Northern Water Tribe's ice fortress, I had never truly experienced anything high class. The monks always told me I must let go of personal wants in order to be free, and that meant anything that related to class and status. So perhaps it was natural that I felt awkward here?

But nonetheless, I had a mission to accomplish in the Earth Kingdom, as I must begin my earth bending training. I was still intent to end the war by summer's end, and I tried to sound confident about it when the man of the house, Lao Bei Fong, asked me that question. Even though he had the manners of any member of nobility, I felt his words were like a series of projectiles being hurled at me. Like using my air bending moves to deflect weapons, I brought him into a topic of urgency for me. "I can't do that without finding an earth bending teacher first," I replied, staring at the person across from me.

That person was the young daughter of this family, a girl named Toph. At first, I was concerned at how frail she seemed, and it didn't help that she was also blind, as evident by her cloudy and lifeless eyes. But it was at Earth Rumble, an underground earth bending tournament that I saw her at work. I was amazed at how well she could earth bend despite her disability. So, when our host recommended Master Yu, a rather snobby man seated at the far end of the table, given how he coached Toph, I immediately turned the issue to the blind girl. "Then she must be a great earth bender," I responded, leaning casually against my chair, "Probably better than…"

Dome hard material smacked me right across the shin, causing me to yelp in shock. I glared at the blind girl across from me, who was calmly enjoyed her meal. Undaunted, I kept pushing the issue with the father, who claimed Toph's blindness would prevent her from becoming a true master. "I'm sure she's better than you think she is…" I began.

That sentence was abruptly cut when an unseen force threw my body forward, forcing me to land face-first in my soup. My patience was clearly being tested here, not only by the either clueless or uncooperative parent, but also Toph herself, as I knew she was the one manipulating the ground beneath me to cause this. I figured this must have stemmed from when I first met her at the tournament, where I inadvertently defeated her in an exhibition match by blowing her off the ring with air. In hindsight, that wasn't the way I envisioned approaching her, because now she had a negative impression of me.

But if retaliation was her game, then I was more than willing to play along. Taking a huge breath, I unleashed an exaggerated sneeze, blowing my food all across the table and straight into Toph's face. As her family stared in shock, Toph and I instantly jumped out of our seats, ready to square off. Had it not been for Toph's mother insisting that we moved on with dessert, we probably would have fought it out right there.

Toph and I didn't speak for the rest of the night as Lao Bei Fong told me a little more about his family's situation. He was keen on maintaining his status as a noble, and that meant having at least one heir. While he valued Toph and would ultimately train her to take over his estate, he was convinced that Toph's condition made it so that she could not take care of herself. He went to great lengths to provide protection for her, which, in my view, constituted as nothing more than making Toph a prisoner inside her own home. "It's getting late now, so why don't we show you to your rooms?" he suggested.

We were brought to the living quarters, which was larger than any of the places I stayed in so far on my journey. But before we could even unpack, we had an unexpected visitor. "Let's call a truce, okay?" Toph stated, asking me to take a walk with her.

The springtime air was cool and brisk, chilling my skin as we strolled through the large estate's garden under the quiet moonlight. Despite being so stuffy and formal at the dinner table, Toph actually seemed more carefree and relaxed, almost like she adopted the mindset of an air bender. "Even though I was born blind, I never had a problem with seeing," Toph described, leaping off a ledge and landing on the ground with ease, "I see with earth bending, which is kind of like seeing with my feet. I feel the vibrations in the earth, and I can see where everything is."

I was in awe as Toph listed off various items in the garden, telling me their exact locations and shape. Never in my life had I experienced something that incredible before, and it made me more determined to request her to teach me earth bending. "My parents don't understand," Toph continued, a tinge of resentment in her voice, "They've always treated me like I was hopeless." She went on to say that it was one reason she took on the alter-ego the Blind Bandit in order to truly earth bend and be free.

Even though she was bitter about it, Toph told me she wasn't willing to abandon her parents yet. "You guys get to go wherever you want, and had no one telling you what to do," she told me, her voice a mix of envy and disappointment, "That's the good life, but that's just not my life." Pursing my lips, I mulled over her words. Perhaps by convincing her parents to let her join us, it was a way to allow Toph to truly see the world?

But we barely got another word off, as Toph got onto her knees and pressed her hand to the ground. "We're being ambushed," she announced, before immediately grabbing my hand and rushing us to safety. But before we knew it, two metal cages were dropped from the fence, looping over us and making us prisoners.

By the time I could see again, I realized Toph and I were hung from our cells, tens of metres above the same earth bending arena that I met Toph in earlier. I could barely see below me, but I realized that it was the same group of benders who Toph defeated earlier seeking retribution of their own. Amidst Toph's threats that she would personally knock each one of them out, I was busy thinking up a plan. "Even though I'm in a metal cell, I'm still in the air, so that means I have a temporary advantage…" I muttered.

While I stewed in my thoughts, I could see from the corner of my eye that Sokka and Katara, along with Toph's teacher and Lao Bei Fong, arrived. I saw a bag of money being sent towards Xin Fu, the promoter of Earth Rumble. But my relief lasted perhaps seconds as the only cage that could be heard moving was Toph's. "I think the Fire Nation will pay a hefty price for the Avatar," I heard Xin Fu exclaim, refusing to hand me over. Sighing, I realized I was in for the high jump now.

As several earth benders took my cage, ready to haul me off, I heard a huge rumble shoot through their formation. "Let him go," I heard Toph shout from the other side, "I beat you all before and I'll beat you again!"

My heart nearly skipped a beat at the sight before me. Here was a petite girl dressed only in her nightgown taking a stance against a slew of earth benders twice her height and weight. But at the same time, I kind of knew the result. I saw Toph in battle before, and she had the very skill that my old friend Bumi, king of the semi-autonomous region of Omashu told me. A good earth bender must do nothing for the moment, but wait until the right moment to strike. That was why, even when the Fire Nation took over his city, Bumi refused to retaliate, opting to wait for the right time.

For Toph, the right time was now. With one stomp of her foot, a huge wave of rocks blasted through the benders and sent them all flying. Bender after bender engaged Toph, only to have them be sent back. By the time Katara and Sokka opened up my cage, I could see that only Xin Fu was left standing. As the two circled each other in the centre ring, I could only wonder what move Toph would envision next.

Within seconds, Xin Fu launched a series of boulders at Toph, coming in every direction and in speeds that could overwhelm even an air bender. Through the dust, I could see Toph whip up an earthen tent, blocking all shots and letting them fly past. Toph then sent one shard of the tent at Xin Fu, causing him to leap away before landing with an arm in the sand. Knowing how Toph saw with her feet, I knew Xin Fu had lost the fight.

Toph tilted her head just in time to let Xin Fu's shot go by, missing her face by fractions of an inch. Then, the killer hit came as Toph slammed a fist into the ground, sending Xin Fu flying into the stands. I could only wonder why no one had ever thought about this young girl being an earth bender, as they only saw her outer appearance and immediately branded her as frail and weak. Why couldn't people be more understanding of what really made a person? Couldn't they tear the blindfolds off their eyes? Perhaps it was the case that only a blind person, like Toph, could really see the truth.

But even with the truth out, there would be no change from Lao Bei Fong, who believed that this indicated he gave Toph too much freedom, and further put her well-being in jeopardy. Insisting that Toph must now be guarded twenty-four hours a day, he also sought to throw us out of his house, claiming we were no longer welcome here. "I'm sorry, Toph," I apologized as we were escorted out. I realized that my appearance to this group merely made me more hated, as Toph's life was now forever ruined.

As we mounted on Appa, I thought about the possibilities. What if Toph's parents weren't that restrictive? What if they weren't always trying to show righteous indignation to people around their daughter? What if they actually tried to see the world deeper rather than made superficial assumptions? As Katara tried to comfort me, telling me that there were plenty of talented earth benders around, I disagreed. "There wasn't any teacher like her," I stated, looking at the night scene.

Suddenly, a figure rushed up to us, telling us to wait. We all looked over in shock as Toph bounded up to Appa, claiming her father had changed his mind. We all glanced at each other uneasily, knowing full well that it wasn't the case. Lao Bei Fong was dead set on grounding his daughter, and it was probably the case that Toph ran away from home just to join us. "Let's get moving before your father changes his mind again," Sokka suggested, offering a hand to lift her into the bison.

I could only beam with pride, realizing that my goal had now been accomplished. I couldn't be happier to have a new earth bending teacher and a new friend. But more importantly, I truly believed this would be a good chance to change the way Toph now interacted with the world. Hopefully, with an open mindset and willingness to try new things, Toph could truly be free and helped us reunite the world once the war ended.

________________________________________

**Toph's POV**

"What are you doing in our land with a sand bender's sailer?" the leader of this group of sand benders demanded. My journey with Aang's group didn't start off exactly the way I wanted, as within days after I left home, we were pursued by a group of fire benders on a sophisticated machine. That led to a huge disagreement between Katara, the water bending girl, and me, on whether I was pulling my weight in the camp. Later on, Aang had to turn on me when I told him to deal with Appa, his Sky Bison, as his fur was shed to leave behind an obvious trail. Obviously, Twinkle Toes had a bit of a soft spot for his bison, to the point where any criticism was deemed insulting.

With no one left to take my side, I made the only choice possible, and left that group of snobby know-it-alls. Luckily, I met a rather easygoing old man named Iroh who convinced me to take another approach towards life, and accepted those around me more, rather than forcing them to conform to me and not letting them assist me. What turned out to be an unusual talk between strangers became for the better as I learned to accept other people's traits, to the point where I started building tolerance for them. It was with that idea that I accepted my role as Aang's new earth bending teacher.

"We found the sailer abandoned in the desert," Katara explained, fatigue laced throughout her tone, "We're traveling with the Avatar." Despite my discomfort, I nearly smirked after hearing that statement. My first impression of the Avatar was that he was nothing more than a cry-baby and a wimp. When I first coached him the basics of earth bending, I had to admit that he learned quite fast, even when his knowledge of the Earth Kingdom was minimal. After a day of basics, I was ready to move onto harder material, such as learning to manipulate rocks and soil. So, when I offered my next challenge, it was to test if he was already into an earth bender's mindset. I told him to stop a boulder.

Then, in what I considered the biggest disappointment so far, Aang refused to face the boulder rolling down the hill at him. In fact, the jelly-boned wimp didn't even touch the boulder at all, jumping out of the way instead. If he couldn't even face a boulder, how could he save the world from the Fire Lord? He was still running away from his problem for a while, but finally had to do things the earth bending way when Sokka, Katara's goofy brother, was attacked by a large animal. To save Sokka, Aang finally had to face the animal head-on, which truly allowed him to grasp the attitude towards earth bending. Personally, I still felt he had a ways to go, but some progress was better than none. At least his spine wasn't softer than a wet noodle!

Suddenly, my brain was snapped back to realty, as one sand bender accused Katara of slandering them. "You dare accuse our people of theft when you ride in on a stolen sand sailer?" he demanded, rebuking Katara's claim that Appa had been stolen. This incident happened just yesterday, as the group found an underground library that allowed them to gain valuable information on the war. The sand shifting beneath my feet made my vision blurry, offering no clear vibrations. With my head and body already woozy, it was best that I stayed outside. While they were inside, a bunch of sand benders came and stole Appa from us, and we had been stranded ever since.

After surviving thirst, fatigue, and downtrodden spirits, we finally reached Si Wong Rock, which was a strange rocky formation in the middle of a desert. With a nearly fatal attack by buzzard wasps, the last thing we wanted was another fight. That was why I breathed a sigh of relief when the leader interjected. "They didn't accuse our people of anything. If what they say is true, then we must give them hospitality." At least someone was making sense here, so why couldn't these rock-heads just cooperate? Given that I was the last person who could save Appa, I felt somewhat guilty about what happened. So, if the sand benders were to help us, then why not lead us to where Appa was taken?

Then, I heard a familiar voice. It was the younger bender who confronted Katara's claim earlier, and his tone was identical to the one who grabbed Appa. While I had my hands full when the library suddenly sank, I could at least hear the voices behind me when they took Appa. "He's the one who stole Appa," I calmly told my group, "I never forget this." To me, this was the first time I felt anything this eerie. Whatever that would happen next, I shuddered to think of the results.

That was when Aang turned from his usual mild-mannered, jelly-boned self into an all-out raging beast. "You stole Appa!" he accused, pointing his staff at the sand benders. He whipped up a blast of wind, crunching a sailer to pieces, with the rumbling from that hit so great that it nearly knocked me off balance. "You tell me where he is, right now!" Aang roared, destroying another sailer. Things were looking bleak right now, and at this rate, Aang might tear up the whole desert. Maybe he should join the Earth Rumble tournaments after the war, and win a championship for himself.

Immediately, the young sand bender tried to deny it, but lying was one thing he shouldn't have done. I might be blind, but my hearing was just fine. "You said to put a muzzle on him," I pointed out, clearly unimpressed by his attitude. To me, this was also retribution on my part, as I wanted those who did this to face justice. I didn't have the chance to defend myself when I was holding up the library, so now I had to even the score. Give us the bison and maybe you could keep your teeth, I thought.

The sand bender was stammering now, claiming that now he sold Appa off to a merchant in Ba Sing Se. He even offered to get us out of the desert, which would be a great reprieve considering how we were near death out here. But nothing prepared me for what transpired, as Aang's fury reached a boiling point. Hot desert air now whipped violently as sand and dust blew everywhere, creating nothing but a huge storm. I had no idea what Aang was doing, but whatever it was, it couldn't be good.

My snide thoughts on what punishment we should dish out to the sand benders should they not cooperate were placed in the deepest parts of my mind as I realized this situation took a turn for the worse. Sokka told me it was Avatar State, having witnessed Aang using it several times. But never in my life had I felt such incredible raw power. At this rate, I was sure we were all going to die. "Just get out of here," Sokka yelled, grabbing me by the arm as my body was being sandblasted, "Everyone, run!"

We ducked for cover as the terrifying sequence went on, with only Katara still beside Aang. I was too confused by the sand blasts beneath my feet but also too scared to find out what was happening. With the sand twirling around us more violently than ever, I held onto Sokka as my head spun crazily. "Katara's got him," Sokka replied, "And she's holding him tight." His voice was much more muted, which showed me how serious this was. I guessed even Sokka couldn't make a joke out of this one.

Whatever Katara did, it worked as Aang was no longer in the Avatar State. With my courage finally returning in place, I finally re-approached Aang, who was in tears. His face was on Katara's shoulder and his sobs echoed off the rocks behind him. Seeing how he came to terms with what happened, I couldn't help but whole-heartedly feel for Aang. I was the one who let this happen, and I was the one who had to be taught how to accept and integrate with people. So for this case, it was only right that I took Aang's side and helped him with whatever he wanted help with.

Not another word was spoken as the sand benders gathered us onto their sailers, setting a course out of the desert. Listening to the swishing of the sands beneath me, I truly realized what it meant to relate to people, and what being in their position was truly like. I couldn't say I bonded well to my parents, as they merely kept me hidden from the world throughout my childhood. I was merely another ornament inside their home, waiting to be seen but not heard. Because of this, I never knew what it was like to be around others, to bask with them in their glory and sympathized with them in their pain. Even when I ran out of my home to be with them, I was merely reflecting my parents' way of dealing with people on them, and that didn't make me any friends.

But being in this incident taught me that people did have a need to feel, and it was not necessary to bottle up emotions with a tough exterior all the time. If an Avatar, the most powerful being in the world, could wear his emotions on his sleeves, then so should anybody else. If the Avatar had to experience hardship to become more complete, then the least I could do was accept the differences in our world to enrich my own life. To be cooped up in a mansion somewhere in the Earth Kingdom wasn't enough, as it wasn't any different than being in jail. My original intent to leave was because I wanted to integrate into the world my own way, so I might as well start doing that right now.

________________________________________

**Toph's POV**

"I think I just figured out why they call it the Serpent's Pass," Sokka announced nervously as he pointed at the huge sea beast rearing its head from the water before us. We managed to get out of the desert, and plotted our next course to Ba Sing Se. On our way there, we ran into a family of refugees, a husband and his pregnant wife who joined us because they somehow lost their passports. Without it, they couldn't get onto the ferry, meaning we had to guide them to the city via the Serpent's Pass.

Indeed, it was a dangerous area, as a tiny ledge with uneven footing and many loose rocks challenged our every step. What's more, the Fire Nation patrolled the waters alongside the path frequently, and we were almost caught by them. I ended up saving Sokka once when the navy blasted a shot, causing an avalanche to tumble down on him. But instead of realizing that I created a rock shield around him, he had to get all gooey on his girlfriend Suki, the leader of the Kyoshi Warriors who recently joined us on our journey. While I liked Suki in general, I wasn't happy that Sokka chose to pretty much ignore me. But hey, I couldn't blame Captain Clueless here, could I?

But bigger issues were at hand, namely the Serpent hissing menacingly at us. While Aang said he would fight the monster on his glider, Katara froze the water before us to get us across quicker. I was actually quite surprised at Aang's change in attitude, as ever since he lost Appa at the desert, he became downtrodden and closed himself to the world. Even when Katara tried reaching out to him, he wouldn't really react. Now, just based on the sounds in the water, Aang was fighting the Serpent with reckless energy, almost like he was taking out his anger of losing Appa on the beast. Was this even the same Aang I tried so hard to train earth bending to? I knew that earth bending required tackling obstacles head-on, but even I had to admit this was quite unhealthy for him.

I could no longer sense anything, meaning it was pretty evident that I was on a small rock in the middle of nowhere. Even though Katara gave us a way out with the ice bridge, I didn't appreciate the fact that it truly rendered me blind. So, even when Sokka called me, insisting that I must come over, I was extremely reluctant. "I'm going to stay on my little island where I can see," I responded, the cold ice piercing at my bare feet. There was no way I would risk damage to the very body parts that allowed me to see.

But my mind was soon made up for me with a very resounding thud. The tail of the Serpent slashed at my rock, threatening to flatten me. "I'm coming!" I eked out, my whole body shaking. I didn't know what was making me more uncomfortable, my fear of the monster or the ice underneath me. Fighting against the numbing pain beneath me, I could only scoot along, with only Sokka's voice being my guide. "It's a little hard to ignore," I commented. But hey, I saved his life once already, so he owed me one, right?

Whatever thoughts regarding Sokka or anything else soon evaporated from my mind as a loud crash threw me into the air. The ice bridge underneath me shattered into pieces as I landed with a hard splash. "Help, I can't swim!" I screamed, my arms swung and thrashed wildly in the water. What better way to become Serpent bait than to have the blind girl thrown into ice-cold water while that monster circled me?

I seemed resigned to my fate, my body sinking into the water while my mind slipped out of consciousness. But suddenly, I felt a hard yank underneath both my arms, which sent my head above water and straight into daylight. So Sokka did care, I thought. Even with his girlfriend around, he still saw to it that I got pulled out of the water. For a while, my rocky exterior was washed away by the lake as I leaned over to the one holding me. "Oh Sokka, you saved me!" I declared, giving him a big kiss.

But when the voice identified itself, I found out it was Suki who dove in and pulled me out. "You can go ahead and let me drown now," I responded, my cheeks tense and hot. The Blind Bandit kissing a girl, how embarrassing could this get?

For the rest of the journey, I didn't say a word. Even when everyone cheered as Aang and Katara returned after momentarily fending off the beast, I didn't have much to say. I truly had to think about what went on, especially with Suki jumping in like that. It was obvious that she and Sokka cared for each other a lot, and that I was the one Sokka never noticed. But for her to wholeheartedly jump in to save my life, that had to mean something, right? I knew I was still bonding with people, but did that include Suki, someone who I just met and pretty much monopolized the attention of the guy I fancied?

But that thought was sliced away as well, because Ying, the pregnant wife, had to go into labour. With Sokka making a fuss, Katara decided to take action. Ordering Aang and Sokka to get rags and water, respectively, she had me create a huge earth tent where she and Suki could enter the now enclosed group. I had to admit that I was curious to experience this. I had never been told what a birth delivery was like, and I had no details of my own birth. With such an intriguing event, why not get a feel for it?

Crouching outside, I pressed my palm against the ground, feeling the vibrations just as Sokka marched up with the water. "One, two, three, push!" Katara yelled as Ying cried out. And for whatever reason, Sokka showed off his wimp side by fainting right in front of me, disturbing the vibrations in the ground and nearly cutting off my perfect view. What's there to be afraid of? It's just a baby!

Before long, Aang and I had to use the water on Sokka, wiping his forehead with a wet rag as cries of the baby echoed from inside. As Sokka finally came to, I had to take a dig at him. "So, want to see the baby or are you going to faint like an old lady again?" I teased. Maybe that's what drew me to Sokka: he was strong but also weak. He wanted to lead, but wasn't afraid to show his flaws openly. It was just my style, a straightforward, show-it-like-it-is personality that could do no wrong.

But as we stood before the bundle of joy in Ying's arms, it was Aang's comment that truly touched us all. "I've been going through a really hard time lately, but you've made me hopeful again." It was that speech that inspired Ying and her husband Than to name the baby Hope. To me, it truly touched my heart, as we all went through that very trying period in the desert. Perhaps, through all the disagreements, personality clashes, and being thrust into dangerous environments, hope was what we had to get all along.

We loitered around for a few more minutes, with Aang and Katara wandering off for a quiet talk. With this experience, I truly realized how we had become a family. We all tried to look out for each other, despite our differences and disagreements. Suki might be Sokka's interest, but that didn't mean she would leave me out to drown. Likewise, Aang might be upset about losing Appa, but it didn't mean he couldn't become hopeful again. With all these things in mind, I truly determined to make my mark. If an event like this birth could re-inspire Aang, then I was sure I could take something from this as well.

Aang returned to us and requested his glider, claiming that he wanted to scout out Ba Sing Se to look for Appa while we took care of Than, Ying, and their baby Hope. Suki had to return to the ferry terminal to further assist refugees, meaning she would not join us in the city. But for me, this was a brand new page in my life. Even though I didn't enjoy my first experience in Ba Sing Se, the stakes here were much greater than my last visit. With the world's safety on the line, could we reach the Earth King in time?

________________________________________

**Katara's POV**

"The Fancy Lady Day Spa? Sounds like my kid of place," Toph responded, boredom and indifference caking her every word. Our journey into Ba Sing Se wasn't one without danger, as we were met right at the walls by a large drill manufactured by the Fire Nation. It took the full group's effort, plus some unexpected help from the Earth Kingdom generals, to stop the machine, but we were able to hold them off for now.

Because of this, we were allowed into the Earth Kingdom capital, and even received an apartment in the Upper Ring of the city, close to the palace. We still had very little luck accessing the Earth King, even when Toph and I decided to sneak into a party held by the ruler a little while back. So now, with the Dai Li watching our every step, we had to go through the long bureaucratic process of waiting for an admission to be granted. So, until then, we thought it was best for us to enjoy our time in this big city. Suggesting a girl's day out, Toph and I decided to take a look at the sights.

But a spa hardly seemed to be something Toph preferred, as she was rather comfortable with her "healthy layer of earth" around her body. Even when I convinced her that she would get the pampering of a lifetime, she was reluctant to accept. "As long as they don't touch my feet," she replied, hesitance replacing her earlier nonchalance.

I merely shrugged, leading Toph into the spa with me. Personally, I had to admit that Toph was one of the hardest people I had to work with. She was fiercely independent and almost didn't want to integrate within our group. While I understood her sense of longing for freedom, it wasn't right that she refused to cooperate with us during our first battle together against the Fire Nation. While things got better after a while, especially in the desert, I still felt some distance between me and her. So hopefully, with this visit to the spa, I could get a better sense of her character and tried bonding more with her.

Toph said nothing as I spoke with the administrative staff, requesting a massage for two and paying for the service. Changing out of our street clothes into robes, we were then escorted into a larger room filled with people also getting massages. I saw several people on stretched beds getting their backs rubbed or their legs pulled. Others were on chairs, getting treatments for their hands and feet. For us, we weren't doing anything too fancy, so just a seated massage would do for us.

I was placed into a nearby chair while Toph was led to one adjacent to mine. Within minutes, an attendant arrived and started work on me, going from my feet first. As the brush rubbed against my soles, I felt my entire body becoming less tense. It had not been a fun few months for my group, as we basically had to wander through the vast Earth Kingdom with the constant fear of the Fire Nation troops scouring the area for us. And with Toph's parents probably realizing by now that she was with us, it was likely that they would send their own guards after us as well. And speaking of Toph, I had to tilt my head over to see how the earth bender was doing. "Toph, are you enjoying it so far?" I asked, glancing over to my left.

Toph's facial expression said it all as her grimace indicated a world of pain for her. There were two attendants holding her down by the shoulders while a third scrubbed furiously at her feet, which was totally against Toph's earlier request. Add in the extra harsh rubbing to her organ of sight, and I could totally understand why Toph felt this treatment was close to torture. "Uh, I don't think you should…" I tried telling the staff.

But my words were too late, as Toph took action before I did. Unleashing a fierce stomp, Toph sent a slab of rock up from the ground and threw her attendant out of the room. I could only crane my neck to see how far she flew and how hard she landed. Biting my lower lip, I hoped the staff wouldn't take this chance to throw us out. "Um, perhaps we should move on to something else?" I suggested timidly, realizing that every set of eyes in the room were keyed in on the two of us.

As the staff cleaned everything up, we were led to a mud bath, which Toph found much more appealing than the last room. "At least someone here speaks my language," she commented as we removed our robes and climbed into the large tubs. Another group of attendants came and smothered our bodies with the brown gooey paste, all the while placing two pieces of lime onto our eyes. I merely placed my head back and allowed the heat to soak my body. Next to me, Toph was pretty quiet, which I guessed was because she was back in her element. At least now she truly felt she was on vacation.

The fun didn't stop there as Toph created a crazy-looking face, making the mud wiggle around her cheeks and bulging the two pieces of fruit from the eyes. It shocked a few of the attendants, causing them to scramble out, screaming in fear. We both had a good laugh at it, which made me realize that we had more in common than what we first envisioned. In the beginning, it seemed like the only thing we had in common was the fact that we were both passionate about our bending, and the only respect we hurled at each other came in the form of our mastery over our elements. But now, to see things in a different light, I realized maybe there was a soft heart inside Toph's rock-hard exterior.

After a quick steam bath where we both used our bending, with Toph throwing rocks into the fire while I splashed water onto it, we went for a make-up application session in which our cheeks were rouged and our eyebrows and eyelashes were brushed. I felt totally rejuvenated as we returned to the outside, thoroughly enjoying the experience.

And believe it or not, Toph did as well. "That wasn't so bad," she commented, "I'm usually not into that stuff, but I actually feel girly." That statement alone made me feel a lot better, as this was truly the first time we did something fun together. Hopefully, it would lead to better things for us both as we continued our mission to end the war.

But our joy soon turned sour as three preppy girls strutted across our path. Taking a condescending look at Toph, they immediately poked fun at her appearance. "Great make-up, for a clown," they taunted before bursting into giggles.

I turned around and glared at the threesome, not appreciative of their words at all. Toph never turned around, but I could guess how she felt about it. "Don't listen to them," I told her, placing an arm around her shoulder, "Let's just keep walking."

But the belittling didn't end there, as another girl claimed Toph looked cute. "Like that time you put a sweater on your Poodle Monkey," she continued, further rubbing salt onto the wound. With their giggles being heard across the way, it was truly grating on my nerves. Had they known what Toph had to go through in her life, and what she and I were about to accomplish, maybe they would hold their tongues.  
Yet, instead of moving along, Toph turned around and laughed along. "That is a good one," she stated, chuckling with those three, "You know what else is a good one?"

Before I could react, Toph stomped the ground, creating an opening on the area right below where the girls were standing. Given that they were in the middle of a bridge, they ended up falling right off, straight into the river below. I could only gape in awe as they landed with a huge splash, the water thrown so high that it reached the bridge.

I stuck my head through the hole, trying hard not to chortle as they stared up helplessly. Their dresses were soaked, their make-up was ruined, and their egos took the beating of a lifetime. "Now that was funny," I spat, glaring at the three who hurled insults at my friend. With a wave of the hand, I created a wave that washed them downstream. Maybe that wild ride could clear their brains a little, and let them realize why it was wrong to pick on someone due to their appearance.

Hurrying along, I caught up with Toph, and told her not to worry about what was said. "It's okay," Toph replied, "One of the good things about being blind is that I don't have to worry about appearances. I don't care what I look like, and I'm not looking for anyone's approval. I know who I am," she concluded, her voice struggling to get those words out. Even without seeing her face, I knew her emotions just got the best of her.

Even so, I realized that was the bravest thing Toph had ever done. Before she could take on the world, she must come to terms with herself first. And for a girl that had been under her parents' influence and control for so long, it was courageous of her to say what she did to truly accept herself only a few months after leaving her home. "That's what I really admire about you, Toph," I stated, "You're so strong, confident, and self-assured. And I know it doesn't matter, but you're really pretty."

Toph's sniffling and sobbing ended abruptly after my statement. She lifted her head finally, and a small grin crept across her lips. "I'd return the compliment, but I have no idea what you look like," Toph replied, her voice filled with gratitude.

It was then that I realized what Toph truly was, and how she truly grew in these months. While she appeared tough and unbreakable, Toph really was a person who had a lot of growing up to do. There was a bit of the spoiled-brat syndrome in her, especially when one considered her history. Her rebellious nature against her parents' control ended up being a contradiction against her pampered life, meaning her two sides were at real conflict with one another. Perhaps, through this journey to save the world, it would bring us closer together, and in turn bring Toph closer to understanding herself.

My thoughts were smashed when a punch came at my shoulder, courtesy of Toph. "Thank you, Katara," she said, showing off her now-famous way of expressing her love and appreciation. As I rubbed my shoulder, I realized that even though I made my first dent into her character, I still had a long way to go before finally seeing her completely.

________________________________________

**Toph's POV**

I could imagine the wave of shock washing over Aang and Sokka as I opened the door revealing the face of Iroh, a wise old man that I knew quite well. We finally got into the Earth King's chamber after barging into the palace. We finally managed to find Appa after a long search, in which we found there was a huge conspiracy right here in Ba Sing Se, where the cultural police, the Dai Li, had control of everything, limiting the king to nothing more than a puppet. It was only in an underground bunker underneath the nearby Lake Laogai that we found the bison, and it came at the expense of a life. Jet, who Aang's group had met before I joined, ended up dying as a result of an earth bending attack by Long Feng, the head of the Dai Li. Now, with a Fire Nation invasion imminent, and the Dai Li covering everything up, Ba Sing Se was under a great threat.

But our problems didn't end there, as Aang supposedly went to master the Avatar State, while Sokka met up with his father at Chameleon Bay, where they would plan for the defence of the city. I was told that my mother was in the city, and wanted to meet with me. But I got the surprise of my life when I was tricked into a metal trap, courtesy of Xin Fu and Master Yu, who wanted to bring me back home. Had it not been for me discovering metal bending by feeling for the earthen particles inside the cage, those two knuckleheads would have succeeded in dragging me back.

But I had to say that it was Iroh who partially inspired me to take a more open approach towards both bending and life. While Aang and Sokka were shocked that I knew the uncle of their pursuer Zuko, I personally felt there was nothing wrong with it. "I met him in the woods once and knocked him down. Then he gave me tea and some very good advice," I explained, recalling Iroh's words. He told me not to be afraid to reach outside of what I was used to, and accepted more of what others had to offer. It made me realize that life was never stagnant, and there were more possibilities had I looked deeper.

Iroh's voice cut my thoughts away from that life lesson, as he announced that Azula, the Fire Nation princess, was in the city. Given that she had infiltrated the palace, it was evident that she took Katara prisoner. "She has captured my nephew as well," Iroh described. Even without saying it, I knew Iroh was requesting some help in saving Zuko. "I know how you must feel about my nephew," Iroh continued, amidst the refusal from Sokka to save his nemesis, "But believe me when I tell you there is good inside him."

"Good inside him isn't enough," Sokka ranted, cutting my mind away from how I could take on that arrogant bozo of a Fire Nation princess, "Why don't you come back when it's outside him too?" I had to admit I nearly chortled at that. It was so Sokka-like for him to tell a joke, even when the situation was dead serious. Well, since Iroh told me it was good to open up my mind, I guessed that Sokka's humour kind of grew on me.

Iroh brought us outside, where he had a Dai Li agent bound and gagged. Usually, I had trouble with sensing Dai Li agents, as their stealth and ability to earth bend while away from the ground made it difficult for feeling their motion, but this time there was no denying the fear this agent had when Iroh approached him. It made me admire how great of a bender Iroh was to take down someone this powerful. Iroh said he believed bending techniques transcended boundaries, and that he incorporated other types of bending into his moves. Maybe after the war was over, I could ask Iroh to show me how earth bending connected to his style, and how I could put some fire bending into my style as well. But focusing on the task at hand, we cornered the man and demanded answers from him.

"Azula and Long Feng are planning a coup. They plan to overthrow the Earth King," the agent stuttered, his body trembling so nervously that I could feel the rock pillars I created to trap him in place shake, "The prisoners are kept in the Crystal Catacombs in old Ba Sing Se, deep beneath the palace."

Fortunately for the group, I had my hand on the rock pillars the entire time, so I could sense the agent's body movements. I knew that people's bodies reacted differently when they were telling lies, and I learned to observe those in order to tell how much they were truly lying. Given how fearful the agent was of Iroh, it was obvious that he couldn't have lied at all. As we marched back to the palace, I kept feeling for large open areas under us with my feet. Surely a large chamber like that would be easy to recognize, right?

Indeed, my question was answered, as a huge empty feeling came to my feet. For a while, I felt like I was walking on air as a huge hollow space appeared underneath me. Bending out a tunnel for Aang and Iroh to take, I told them to try to reach Katara and Zuko that way, while Sokka and I stayed above ground to warn the Earth King of the impending danger. "The coup may be happening right now," Sokka insisted.

My heart was racing as we hustled up the steps of the palace. The front entrance was eerily silent, as not a guard could be found. The most terrifying thoughts came to my mind as I imagined Earth Generals being bound by the Dai Li, the guards trying to fight back fruitlessly against a superior opponent, and quite possibly Long Feng getting up to the king's face and having the king arrested. And I thought my parents were controlling, what about the Dai Li? At this rate, they might be scarier than the Fire Nation army!

When we finally barged into the throne room, which was a wide chamber held up by several pillars along the way, I could sense the Earth King in his usual spot. He was on his throne, relaxed and chatting with his pet bear Bosco, while two Kyoshi Warriors sat in front of him. But for some reason, these two made me a bit suspicious, as they didn't have the usual feel of a Kyoshi Warrior. While I had only met one Kyoshi Warrior, I could sense enough from Suki to recognize someone trained in the Kyoshi method. But these two, it felt like they were something else, as their sitting postures and poses told me they came from a totally different style. Biting my lip, I exercised even more caution.

But the truth was revealed when one Kyoshi Warrior somersaulted our way, trying to flirt with Sokka. When Sokka told her that he was involved with Suki, she was completely confused, which told me enough was enough. "They're not the real Kyoshi Warriors!" I declared, shooting a slab of earth from the ground below.

That sent the flirty one flying into the air, but her accomplice quickly replaced her as this new warrior hurled a series of blades at me. Even though the projectiles were in the air, I felt the way she released it, and estimated the distance the blade must cover before it reached me. That gave me plenty of time to create another slab of rock to block the shots, and threw the stony piece back her way. Now, with Fire Nation spies right at the Earth King's feet, the real battle was about to begin!

I created two huge slabs of rock, sending them both at the knife thrower. But surprisingly, for someone not familiar with the Kyoshi style, she was very mobile. I tried my hardest to feel her movements, many of which became difficult for me to track when she kept jumping into the air. My biggest worry was if she launched knives at me while she was jumping, making it impossible to judge where the blades would come from. There was no way I would let these Fire Nation nutcases best me in the Earth Kingdom.

But a shout from the throne got Sokka and I to stop our actions, as a third person arrived. In an authoritative voice, she declared that she had the Earth King hostage, and that we must cease our fighting. Realizing the Earth Kingdom's future was at stake, I had to grudgingly surrender. It ticked me off to no end that a cheap tactic like this was used. What, didn't they have the guts to face Sokka and me? If Aang could bring Katara back here, then they would really be in trouble, having to deal with all four of us.

I felt a couple of quick jabs to various points on my body, making me completely tense up and paralyzed. I didn't know what skill that was, but it only placed me further in humiliation. It was as if they weren't satisfied with picking on the blind girl, now they had to paralyze my whole body. As we were dragged away from the throne room, along with the Earth King and his pet bear Bosco, I could only wonder what was in store for us. Normally, I would be thinking about how I could get even with these girls, but the current situation right now was just too serious. With the world at stake, we had to take a stand.

But for now, the situation wasn't right, as any time now, we were to be swarmed by the Dai Li, if not the Fire Nation military. The best situation right now was to wait it out, biding our time for the right moment to attack. Even as they threw us into our cell while the bear was taken somewhere else, I tried to remain calm, hoping everything would fall into place. As the cell slammed shut, I took a seat in the corner away from the door and gathered my thoughts. How did two amateurs infiltrate this far into the palace?

In the silence, I could feel Sokka marching to the front peephole to look out for guards. In past conversations when Sokka and I were alone, I told him how by staying quiet and feeling the ground, I could anticipate certain events, and used that to my advantage when fighting. As I closed my eyes, feeling the series of vibrations outside, the Earth King couldn't help but ask what I was doing. "This is a metal door, so how exactly can you get us out?" he questioned.

I smirked, finally getting a chance to show off my new technique. With Sokka now turning around, I told them of my invention. "I recently started to feel pieces of metal, and could sense the earthen particles inside them," I explained, not bothering to tell the story of how my parents sent those two morons after me. Things were bad enough as it was, and the last thing we wanted was something out of our control. "If there are no guards outside, I'll bend the earth inside the door and break us out," I finished with pride.

I didn't gauge the king's expression, but realized that it was the least of my concern right now. With Sokka's eyes on the outside while I continued tracking the Dai Li's movements, we had to wait for the right time to strike. An agonizing few minutes passed, but to me it seemed like years, before the footsteps began to wane. Standing up but still leaning against the wall, I asked Sokka, "Are there any Dai Li agents nearby?"

When Sokka reported negative, I instantly went to work. Stretching my arms a couple of times, I pressed my hands against the door and concentrated hard. The earthen bits were like little blobs scattered throughout the sheet, making it a hassle just to push my energy onto them. With my face twisted, I slowly clenched my hands, making the metal bend to my will. "Come on, bend," I murmured, "I can't take it anymore."

Beads of sweat came down my face, all the while Sokka looked on. Even though my attention was on the door, I could feel the Earth King lift his head behind me. With one last push, I exerted everything I had into the door, crumpling it up and sending it flying the other way. As light shone into the cell, I led the way, hustling out while Sokka had the Earth King, who pleaded with us that we brought back his bear. Given that Bosco was his only friend, I realized we ought to grant him his wish.

After blasting through room after room, we finally re-entered the throne room, where the two fake Kyoshi Warriors were with the bear. One was doing a hand-stand while trying to get Bosco to follow along, but that put her in perfect position for an ambush. "That's a nice trick," I commented, bending out two rock slabs that encased her hands. As she toppled over, I encased her feet as well, leaving us alone with the other.

But the knife thrower had no intention to fight, insisting that we ought to just take the bear and left her alone. With no resistance, there was no need for battle. As the king gave Bosco a hug, Sokka and I raced out, trying to reach Appa before the Dai Li got to him again. I lost him once in the desert, and I didn't wish to repeat that incident. "We've got to get out of here before they get us," I told the king as he pulled Bosco along.

Luckily, there weren't too many Dai Li around, but given the feel of the earth below, I knew where they were couldn't do us any good. "They're in the catacombs, where Aang and Katara are supposed to be," I reported, sensing some battling in the underground cavern. As we boarded Appa, we could only hope they were alright.

When two figures appeared from the same hole I created that led them down, it was a gruesome sight. It almost felt like Katara was dragging a corpse onto the back of the bison. Her footsteps felt forced, and I couldn't sense any life in Aang at all. "We have to get out of here, now," Katara stated, half anxious but also quite exhausted. I didn't know what happened down there, but judging from their conditions, it couldn't be good. What, did those gutless Dai Li agents, powerful enough to beat the Fire Nation, betray the Earth Kingdom all because Miss I'm-So-Important made some stupid remarks?

We boarded Appa and lifted off, with Sokka on the reins while I held on tight. My fear of flying was completely wiped out by a bigger fear: the fear of the Fire Nation about to overrun my homeland. I might have been an overprotected girl stuffed inside her own home all my life, but it didn't mean I didn't care about my country. The Earth King, even with all his childishness, went through a much more painful experience than I did. At least I got the chance to run away, and joined a group that truly appreciated me for what I did, but what did the Earth King have? It was Long Feng, his supposed guardian, who kept him blinded to the world. And when things didn't turn out right, he merely turned on him by siding with the Fire Nation. What sort of guardian would behave like that?

I heard a couple of groans, leading me to lean my head forward. With my limited feel for things in the air, it was Sokka who told me Katara had used some spirit water on Aang, revitalizing him for the moment. "He's still very weak, so he needs rest, if he ever wants to recover properly," Sokka told me, his voice glum and sombre.

As I leaned back into my position, I could hear the Earth King mumble next to me, "The Earth Kingdom has fallen." I couldn't imagine the unbearable amount of shame on all our shoulders right now. Aang might be remembered as the Avatar who failed the world, while Katara, Sokka, and I would be scorned in the Fire Nation history books. But for the Earth King, to be remembered as the monarch who pretty much gave his kingdom away, that might be too much for a man like him to bear.

But even as that thought crossed my mind, I reminded myself of one thing. Earth benders were people of substance, and our stubborn pride meant as long as we had even a sliver of hope, we ought not to give up. We still had an invasion to plan for, given all the knowledge we originally planned to share with the Earth King. If we could turn the tide on that day, maybe it could weaken the Fire Nation just enough to give us a better chance at regaining lost ground. With that thought in mind, I reinvigorated myself, hoping to use my skills on the battlefield once more. Even though the prospects were bleak, and our chances were slim, the fight was far from over right now.


	18. Toph, Part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Each character grows up with a set of experiences unique to themselves. Watch each person describe what went through their minds and how they changed as they reacted to the world. These are their stories, these are their rites of passage.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: Michael DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko own Avatar.

**Toph's POV**

"What do you need to go to school for?" I demanded, unimpressed by Aang's latest idea. We barely escaped the recently captured Earth Kingdom capital Ba Sing Se, and Twinkle Toes barely nursed himself back to health. Apparently, those Fire Nation knuckleheads thought it was real fun to make our group fugitives, meaning not only were we always on the run, we had to disguise ourselves as their citizens to blend in. It wasn't exactly fun, so any more Fire Nation guys were coming to harass us would get it for sure.

But then Twinkle Toes had to pretend to be a genius by enrolling himself in a Fire Nation school. I didn't pretend to know what's going through his no longer bald head, but somehow I had a bad feeling about this. Wouldn't that just blow our cover entirely? "Every minute I'm in that classroom, I'm learning new things about the Fire Nation," Aang replied, his tone strangely optimistic. I could hear him whip something out, and then heard him describing how he made a portrait of the current Fire Lord out of noodles. I had to admit that he did peak my interest, but I still had reservations about it.

But Aang pulled off one of the biggest surprises when he told us there was a secret river that led to the Fire Nation palace, claiming he would learn about it in class tomorrow. From my position, I could tell that Aang was making some of this stuff as he went along, but somehow, I felt the urge to suppress blowing his cover. As Sokka finally agreed to let him stay a few more days, Aang could only exclaim, "Flameo, Hot Man!" Upon hearing that, I could only snicker and shake my head.

As Sokka and Katara further discussed, I couldn't help but wonder why Aang would choose this path. Surely there must be something that occurred in school that let him bond so well with the very nation that nearly killed him in Ba Sing Se, right? Even though he claimed he had a friend from the Fire Nation a hundred years back, did he really believe that he could make friends so easily now, especially in an environment where the Fire Nation felt they could beat everyone over the head with their conquests?

And maybe that was the reason I suppressed my urge to rat him out, because I felt I was in a similar situation. Most of these Fire Nation kids were like me, where they couldn't express themselves and were always under the iron-fisted control of their superiors. There was no reason these kids ought to be muzzled by a bunch of stuck-up know-it-alls who think they could speak for them completely. So if I ran away from home just to have freedom and see the world, why couldn't the same be offered to them?

My thoughts on this issue lasted maybe less than a day, when Twinkle Toes was asked to bring his "parents" into the school for an incident. I had to admit it was quite entertaining hearing Sokka and Katara furiously trying to make a new costume that better portrayed them as Aang's "parents" rather than his friends. I had to snicker when Sokka told me to help him glue a beard on, having to remind him several times that I was blind. "Unless you want your beard to be glued across your forehead or something like that, I think Sugar Queen would be a better choice," I retorted, trying hard not to chortle.

It would be at least a few hours, judging by how the sun rays shone into our cave, before they would return from the meeting. Sokka, in his cheesy persona "Wang Fire" told his "son" that he was prohibited from school. It was quite a laugh seeing Sokka take on the "fatherly" character, but nothing could be funnier as Aang told his "father" that he was enjoying being a normal kid. "You don't know what it's like, Sokka. You get to be normal all the time!" Aang replied, getting up from the ground and paced back and forth.

I nearly fell to the ground laughing. Unless the definition of normal changed a lot, it would be the last word I'd use to describe Sokka. His unorthodox techniques in doing things, along with his ability to turn any situation into a whine-fest certainly made things colourful. Sokka had a normal childhood was probably the biggest misinterpretation of events I had ever heard since the day Xin Fu declared himself an earth bending master!

But then Aang did the unthinkable by proposing that we invited his classmates to our cave. "Those kids at the school are the future of the Fire Nation. If we want to change this place for the better, we ought to show them a little taste of freedom," he suggested, "That's why I'm going to throw them a secret dance party!"

"Go to your room!" Sokka howled, his voice blasting off the cave walls. I had to admit that my jaw suddenly felt heavier than several boulders. On one hand, inviting the enemy into our camp was really dangerous, if not incredibly stupid. Should any one of these brats rat us out, we might as well march into the Fire Nation capital in chains. With our trust in the Fire Nation at zero at best, what was Twinkle Toes trying to do here?

But still, part of this idea intrigued me, as these kids ought to learn to express themselves. As a group, we were an air bender locked in a block of ice for a century, two water benders who never left the South Pole before, and a blind and muzzled earth bender trapped in her own house for twelve years. If we pledged to help the world by enriching ourselves first, then the Fire Nation ought to do the same. Besides, Iroh always told me to keep an open mind and accepted outside help when necessary, so maybe we ought to be the outside help to these kids. "Guys, maybe it's not a bad idea," I started.

Before long, I was earth bending the rocky formation around us, creating a huge stage for the students to play their instruments, jutting out flat rocks in various places to serve as chairs and tables. Sokka and Katara went into town and bought candles for what Aang called "lighting up the atmosphere." I personally didn't care, as I couldn't see them anyway. But given how excited Twinkle Toes was, maybe he was onto something after all, seeing how he wanted his classmates to enjoy what the world had to offer in dance. But for now, I was willing to do my part in getting this right.

As the students arrived, I decided to slip off to the side, taking a seat at one of my tables created via earth bending (a pretty sturdy piece of work, if I say so myself). Katara chose to join me as we brought out a couple of drinks for each other. Aang announced the musicians, composing of students who bothered to bring their musical instruments, as the Flameos, and asked everybody to start dancing. Curious, I kept trying to hear the kids over the music, and realized nobody was moving. "What's going on?" I wondered.

Suddenly, Aang's voice came within earshot. "Dancing isn't something you think about. It's a form of self-expression that no one can ever take away from you," he stated with authority, in total contrast to the timid, passive wimp that I first met, "And it just so happen I know some classic Fire Nation dances." He then proceeded to prancing around the area, explaining each movement to the students. Judging from the vibrations on the floor, I would say he was dynamic, flashy, and definitely enjoying himself as he showed the kids his moves. Who knew Twinkle Toes could dance?

Before long, I could feel the ground rumble as a result of dozens of pairs of feet stomping away, turning this into a real party. Sokka commented that Aang first asked one of the girls to dance with him in a Ba Sing Se ballroom dance, stating that they looked good together. That was met with a nonchalant snort from Katara, who I felt turned away, judging by the thump on the table. Oh, so Sugar Queen was jealous that Twinkle Toes had a girl to dance with? Better make a move on him soon before he got away!

Yet to my surprise, Aang approached Katara, offering to dance with her. I craned my head in to get a better listen for Katara's response, to which she stuttered, "These shoes aren't really right for dancing, and I'm not sure I know how to…" Katara trailed off. From the other side of the table, I had to use all my strength just to prevent me from bursting out laughing. Sugar Queen went from jealous to nervous wreck in seconds!

Before long, Aang and Katara took off for the dance floor, throwing themselves into the mix of prancing feet. I couldn't feel their location very well now, given how they intermingled into the group. "They're in the middle of the group circling each other," Sokka informed me, not sounding very excited, "not really dynamic, if you ask me."

Suddenly, the stampeding of feet stopped, as I could only feel two sets of feet moving. Without even consulting Sokka, I knew it was Aang and Katara going at it. I could feel the erratic steps and stomps as they sailed through the dance floor, spinning and twisting in impossible angles. Heck, had it not been for the lack of water and air, I would think they were bending. "Wow, that's really something," I murmured.

"What's going on here?" an adult voice roared from the direction of the cave's exit. All music and dancing stopped, leaving the room in a strange silence as I heard the same voice roar, "He's the one we want, the boy with the headband!" Immediately, I knew that our cover was blown. Not only would Aang be disciplined, but we would all be caught. Had it not been for my disguise, I would send two rock pillars up this guy's nose.

We rushed out a back route, straight into the night air where Appa was waiting for us. As we boarded the bison, I thought about what just occurred. While I usually rebelled against authority, I had to admit that I didn't do it in a meaningful way. But for Aang, who did all this just to let those students have a taste of freedom, that truly rocked. He truly was the Avatar, and the Fire Nation sure would be a better place when the war ended. "I think you really did help those kids," I told Aang, "You taught them to be free."

________________________________________

**Toph's POV**

"You noodle brains don't know what you're doing," I commented, lying down onto the rocky ground. We were merely enjoying a warm night outside this Fire Nation town when a meteor suddenly crashed near the area, causing a massive fire in which I helped put out with Aang and Katara. Unfortunately, that meant Sokka had nothing to do, given his lack of bending ability. That led him to shed his sarcastic side and went all gloomy on me. Frankly speaking, this new Sokka sucked, with no sense of humour or wittiness. Surely he couldn't be down all because he couldn't bend, right?

Luckily, we managed to find an intricate sword at a local weapons shop, and found out that there was a real sword master in the town. Convinced that this was the art he was destined to learn, Sokka immediately went to seek him out, leaving the three of us out here to melt in the hot sun. It didn't help that my two friends were totally clueless with a map, so much so that they couldn't even locate our current location. "I miss Sokka," I openly stated, wishing to hear his corny jokes and ridiculous antics again.

"Oh, I got one!" Katara suddenly interjected, her voice filled with excitement. While Sokka was gone, Sugar Queen tried to be the jokester on our team, and it was very evident that humour did not run in the family. "If you miss him so much, why don't you marry him?" She stated, clearly aiming that statement for me.

I turned away, trying to avoid the corniness. Somehow, that special Sokka-esque element just wasn't there. Yet in another sense, what she said was an interesting thought. Out of everyone I met so far, Sokka was the one who bonded the best with me. He saved me at least a couple of times, he was the one who I turned to when I wanted some advice, and we did almost everything for our team together. I wasn't into marriage yet, but Sokka was one person I could envision being close to for the rest of my life, even just as friends. After all, with a war to fight, was this really the best time to talk about marriage?

It would be another while before I felt those familiar footsteps of Sokka coming up the hill again. "Hey guys, what are you doing?" the water tribe warrior greeted us just as we rushed at him. I wasn't sure about the other two, but I was going to give him the biggest bear hug ever. After a day of torture without him, I wasn't about to let him go.

But my two partners-in-crime seemed to take it a little bit over the edge, laughing at even the smallest thing he said. Desperate much? Either way, I wasn't about to let Sokka know how I felt. "They missed you or something," I told him nonchalantly, "I didn't care." But as I said that, I felt my cheeks heat up. The only saving grace I had was that my Earth Rumble rivals weren't here to see it. I shuddered to think how they would react and what taunts they had for me if they saw the Blind Bandit fall for this klutz.

Lucky for me, Sokka changed the topic by asking us to return to the impact site of the meteor. Claiming that he wanted to make a sword out of this material, Sokka asked us to help him carry this to his master's home. I personally had little knowledge in the way of the sword, so this truly aroused my curiosity. After all, no one had created a sword out of a meteor before! As we trudged along, I thought about what Sokka learned here. When I was younger, I felt just as helpless as Sokka was a few days ago when he was beating himself up for lacking bending. In fact, my situation was worse than his, because at least Sokka wasn't blind. It wasn't until I discovered the Badger Moles that I learned earth bending, and used it in my everyday routine ever since.

And as Sokka introduced us to his master, I went through what it must have meant for Sokka to finally learn the art that would best represent him. I was convinced that, just like my experience with the Badger Moles, Sokka's experience with the sword was one that not only he could use in battle, but in life. Not only could he contribute to our group now, he also found something that he could identify with as he got older. Just how earth bending was a part of me, the way of the sword would now be a part of Sokka. Knowing how much it would mean for him, I was more determined than ever to help him out.

Master Piandao was kind enough to allow us to stay here for the night while Sokka worked on his blade in the back. I was amazed at how big this mansion was, much bigger than my own estate in the Earth Kingdom. Feeling my way around the area, I could tell Master Piandao was truly a talented swordsman and warrior, but also a skilled intellectual who was more than just another fighter. I truly wondered why he didn't serve in the Fire Nation army, but that would mean when the time came, we might have to face off against him. Could the Fire Nation's top swordsman win against me, the greatest earth bender of all time? This could be a battle for the ages should it play out.

It would be morning before we joined Sokka in the main hall, where Piandao was about to grant Sokka his first sword. While I sat behind Sokka in a line with Aang and Katara, trying to stay as quiet as possible, inside I could feel my heart racing. I was so proud of his accomplishment. Maybe, from now on, he could truly integrate with us, and be a contributor to our future battles. Besides, it would certainly lift his spirits back up and make his sarcasm return, so why wouldn't I be anxious?

As Piandao handed Sokka's new sword over, declaring that Sokka was worthier than any one of his former students, I sensed a strange reaction from Sokka. Instead of having a heart that raced as excitedly as mine, it almost felt like he was dejected, if not downright ashamed. "I'm sorry, Master. You're wrong," he stated, his tone nearly muted, "I'm not worthy. I'm not who you think I am. I'm not from the Fire Nation. I'm from the Southern Water Tribe. I lied so I could learn swordsmanship from you."

There were three shocked individuals in a line as Sokka unleashed his bombshell on Master Piandao. Sokka, you idiot! What were you thinking? Did you realize that not only did you completely waste your time, but also put us all in danger? What if Piandao decided to rat us out to the Fire Nation authorities? Either way, this dunderhead just made probably the biggest mistake of his life, and hearing the master's words, I knew Sokka was going to get it. "I'm sorry too," Master Piandao stated glumly, before whipping out his own sword and swinging it at Sokka.

We immediately shot up to help Sokka. There was no way this old man could slice a boulder into two, not with what attack I had in mind. But surprisingly, Sokka waved us off, declaring that this was his battle. "I will duel with him alone, as that's my way of defending my own honour," he insisted. I couldn't help but worry about this, as Sokka barely mastered all his techniques, and it was doubtful that he had a chance to apply them yet. So could he really handle a skilled veteran?

It wouldn't be long before clangs and swishes through the air echoed from the courtyard, where I figured a furious duel between the two took place. Because of how far away they soon moved off to, I could barely sense them anymore. But for the majority of the time, I could feel Sokka was completely on the defensive, with Piandao pretty much having his way with Sokka. Oh, if only Sokka hadn't been so stubborn and allowed us to fight with him. Otherwise, this geezer would really be in for it!

By the time they returned, I could sense Sokka running for his life. Every part of my body screamed for me to jump down there to help him, but somehow I stayed glued in place, knowing that doing so would only humiliate Sokka more. It was only until Sokka rammed his sword into the ground, throwing up a sandstorm at Piandao, before things started calming down. I bit my lower lip as the sensations from the ground was nearly halted, with only Sokka's soft tiptoeing steps the only vibrations being felt. This might probably be the only time someone could make an escape without being called a jelly-boned wimp by me. Come on Sokka, make a move before he takes your life!

But typical Sokka, he wasn't subtle enough. Stepping on a tree branch, the twig snapped into two, loud enough not only for me, but also Piandao. I felt vibrations under his feet change gears as he tilted towards Sokka, making a beeline for him. My whole body shook as the scraping of metal blades shrieked through the air, chilling me to the bone. Next thing I knew, there was a huge thud, meaning Sokka pretty much hit the dirt.

I couldn't hold it in anymore. Sokka obviously was no match for Piandao, and it was pretty evident that the master wanted blood. Didn't I say before that I wanted to see how well my earth bending matched up against his sword? Well, here was my chance to show this stuck-up know-it-all that he messed with the wrong group. No one could hurt Ponytail and got away with it, and it was time I snapped that blade of Piandao's in two.

"I think I'm a little old to be fighting the Avatar," Piandao suddenly stated, which froze us straight in our tracks. Say what? How did he possibly know who we were? I might have the ability to sense when someone was lying, but never in my life could I imagine someone correctly identifying people he never met before! What was he hiding?

Master Piandao sheathed his sword in the air before I sensed his butler stride over. The servant was a plump man, so his footsteps were naturally heavier. "I knew from the beginning that Sokka was from the water tribe. You might want to think of a better Fire Nation cover name," Piandao explained as we marched over from the balcony, "The way of the sword doesn't belong to one nation. Knowledge of the arts belongs to us all."

I couldn't say a thing as the master's words paralleled the ones spoken by Iroh to me. Open-mindedness and a willingness to share knowledge seemed to be two sides of the same rock, and for me to witness not one, but two people who had that view, this was really a life-changing experience for me. "Sokka, you must continue your training on your own," Piandao continued, returning the space sword to my friend, "If you stay on this path, I know that one day you will become an even greater master than I am."

With our spirits high, we left the mansion, with the butler giving Sokka a White Lotus Pai Sho tile as a souvenir. Sokka happened to have a piece of that meteorite he used to carve the sword available, and I was ecstatic that he would let me have it. How sweet could it be to bend space rock? As I made a bunch of weird formations with the piece, I couldn't help but realize that today, we all learned something new. Iroh told me to accept others' help, and Aang tried to help those students, meaning it wasn't long before I had to do the same. If I wanted to world to be a better place after the war, then I have to take on this role, and make a better understanding between nations.

________________________________________

**Sokka's POV**

"Come on, I want to talk to you," I told Toph, stepping up to the rock she was seated at. After we left Master Piandao's residence, we were pursued by the freakiest fire bender ever. Somehow, he could shoot fire via his mind, making anything around him explode. We barely got out of our last resting area intact. If this was what true fire bending was like, then I shuddered to think what the Fire Lord had in his arsenal. How would we like our Avatar's meat, extra well done or charbroiled?

But it was this incident with Toph and my sister that really concerned me. Toph and Katara hadn't always seen eye-to-eye on every issue. While that hadn't led to any bad feelings thus far, it boiled over today. Toph, Aang, and I had been doing some scams in a nearby town, trying to build up financially for the invasion. We were all in it for fun more than anything else, and Toph even suggested buying Appa some armour. But when I got into the town today, there was a wanted poster of Toph, now nicknamed "The Runaway," and that was when I realized how serious the situation had become. I tried to hide it from everyone, but somehow Katara got her hands on it, leading to this.

"You brought me out here to tell me that your sister isn't as annoying as I made her out to be?" Toph snapped, trudging along with me grudgingly. Katara disapproved of our schemes, claiming that they went too far. While I agreed with Toph that my sister was too serious, things became out of hand with the poster. Toph, as usual, refused to believe Katara, rebelling against her like she did with her parents. But unlike her parents, Katara was no pushover either, leading to a huge split. They couldn't even be in the same place without wanting to strangle each other. This was destroying all our spirits, to the point where I had trouble mustering jokes. Sokka with no sarcasm, this wasn't right!

Nonetheless, I tried to be civil with her. "In a way, I rely on her," I described, referring to Katara's perceived bossiness and lack of ability to hold her tongue, "When our mom died, that was the hardest time in my life. Our family was a mess." The image of my dad holding onto the charred body of my mom still lingered painfully in my mind. When he later left the village to fight in the war, it left me as the tribe's de facto leader. While I tried my best to stay tough and lead, it was evident, even by me, that I did poorly.

"But Katara, she had so much strength," I continued, returning to the topic of my sister, "She stepped up and took on so much responsibility. She helped filled the void that was left by our mom." I turned my head over to Toph, trying to gauge her expression. It was clear that Toph and her mother didn't get along, so how would she react?

Taking a deep breath, I tried to convince her to look at it differently. "I never told anyone this before, but honestly, I'm not sure if I can remember what my mother looked like. It really seems like my whole life, Katara has been the one looking out for me. She's always been the one that's there. And now, when I try to remember my mom, Katara is always the first one I think of." I knew it was unlikely Toph had this view of mothers. I believed Toph's mother never truly looked out for her, leading her to believe all motherly figures were controlling and condescending. But if telling her my secrets could change her mind, not only could Toph mend fences with Katara, but quite possibly her parents. As the one she confided in the most, I felt it was my duty to settle this for her.

I could barely see Toph's face, mainly due to the hair shading her eyes, but her now-softened voice spoke louder than ever. "The truth is, sometimes Katara does act motherly, but that's not always a bad thing," Toph replied, "She's compassionate and kind, and she cares about me. You know, the real me. That's more than my own mother." I leaned over, just in time to see Toph shade her face with a hand. I didn't dare to say it out loud, but I swore I saw tears dripping from Toph's eyes.

The setting sun shone flared onto my face as I mulled it over. Maybe Katara was right when she predicted Toph would go off like that, as Toph's parents were probably the most inconsiderate people ever when it came to raising a child. From my limited experience with Toph, I knew her family didn't tolerate any attempt for Toph to be free. Their over-protectiveness, along with a lack of understanding to Toph's real needs, made Toph go through a very painful childhood. While they might be justified in doing so via Toph's blindness, had they ever asked how she felt? Had they ever took Toph seriously, to the point where they could bend a little to meet her needs? The fact they failed to do so, all the while Katara tried to reach out, showed that Katara was superior in this regard.

But still, it wasn't right for Toph to blow Katara off like that. While I understood that Toph was frustrated with Katara, it was wrong for her to be disrespectful. I usually sided with Toph because I got along with her best, but even I planned to draw the line once I found out about the poster. There was a chance that she could be caught, and our covers would be blown if the Fire Nation authorities got their hands on us. While Katara could be gentler and slower to judge, she had our best interests at heart. Right now, I was determined to quit while we were ahead, and moved on to the next town.

My thoughts were snapped completely when a stinging pain exploded on my shoulder. "Don't ever tell Katara I said any of this!" Toph roared with her fist still clenched. Even with a wince on my face, I promised her that my lips would be sealed. The last thing I wanted was a boulder down my throat, so why would I speak?

________________________________________

**Katara's POV**

"See, this is exactly why I'm against these scams!" I ranted, waving my arms frantically in this cramped wooden cage. I actually heard the words exchanged between Sokka and Toph (even though Toph threatened Sokka to not reveal them to me), and I felt it was only right that I did my part. I couldn't help but act the way I usually did, as it was the only thing I knew throughout most of my life after childhood. That was why I wanted to pull off this scam with Toph, just to show her my less motherly side.

Toph was shocked, as she was dead set on apologizing, and promising me that she wasn't planning any more scams. But after I told her that this would be the ultimate scam, capable of generating ten times the revenue she got from her smaller schemes, she was in. The idea was the turn Toph in, where they could put her in a metal cage. I would collect the reward while Toph would metal bend and break free. We would rendezvous and left the region before anyone could catch us. It was foolproof, with no way of failing, right?

But how wrong could I be, as the same mind bending fire bender blindsided me. He caught me collecting my reward, and got me sent to prison as well. It was obvious that he did his homework, as Toph and I were thrown into a wooden cage, making the use of bending impossible. Now, as we figured out that we were merely bait for that guy to reel Aang in, I realized how big of a mess we got ourselves into.

"I wanted to show you that I'm not so motherly," I explained, leaning my chin onto my bent knees. We were both seated on the wooden planks, with nothing but silence outside. It really gave me some time to think about how my relation to Toph evolved. I thought I got to know Toph better after that girl's day out at Ba Sing Se, but my motherly side kept rearing its ugly head, and before long it turned Toph off. So for this recent blow-up between her and me, I felt partially responsible for it too.

"Katara, you are fun. If nothing else, you're at least fun to argue with," Toph replied, her head perking up. I leaned over and saw a huge smile on her face, "I try not to think about it, but when I left my parents, I probably really hurt them." As she finished that last sentence, there was no denying what was happening. The sniffles and sobs gave it away as the tough-as-nails Blind Bandit was reduced to tears.

I couldn't help but lean over, pulling Toph into a hug. I knew how nasty I was when I questioned her motives, claiming that she was trying to frame everyone who disagreed with her in her parents' light. I should have known better than that to make such a statement, given how complicated Toph's relationship with her parents was. Toph still required more time to adjust to relating to people, as her only teachers in life skills were her overly controlling parents or the Earth Rumble fighters. Sadly, they provided a contradiction to Toph's life. Toph believed she could get what she wanted via toughness alone, but it was one thing she couldn't show before her parents. Even though she was free now, her overreliance on either fighting or rebelling made things difficult for her and others. If I could find a way to rectify this issue, maybe she could be happier?

But there was no time to think about that, as several large rumbles from above us shook us from our positions. It was no secret that the Combustion Man was after Aang and Sokka, who were probably in town right now. Toph clutched the wooden bars, trying to wrest them free. "We need bendables!" she exclaimed, putting a stranglehold on the bars that stubbornly held in place. I suggested that Toph used the meteor bracelet, but Toph told me left it back at camp, afraid that it would be lost. With nothing left, I could only wonder how well Aang and Sokka held their own outside. With the place heating up as a result of the flames being shot at those two, I couldn't help but break a sweat.

Wait, sweat? There was the water that could break us free! If I had enough sweat around me, maybe it could do the trick? Immediately, I got up and broke into a running posture, sprinting as hard as I could in place. "I'm making my own water," I declared, wiping my forehead. My hands were now caked with perspiration, enough to make a blade. With one motion, I swung it at the wood, making a few slices before it ran out.

"Katara, you're a genius! A sweaty, stinky genius!" Toph heaped the praise on me as I felt my way through my clothing. My Fire Nation outfit was one where my entire midsection was showing, meaning there was enough sweat protruding from my stomach that I could use. Besides, with my armpits slightly sticky as well, there was one more source. Taking a huge breath, I summoned all the sweat on my body and threw it right at the door. If it didn't break, then I had no idea what could do the job.

Luckily, it did work out, as the wood was shattered in seconds. Toph and I rushed out just in time to see Aang being threatened by the Combustion Man. "Oh no, you don't! Take this!" I reached into a nearby rain barrel and sent the water straight at the assailant, freezing it along the way as it encased his head in a block of ice. It gave us just enough time to grab Aang to get to safety. For good measure, Toph shot one more boulder at him, making sure he couldn't blast more fire at us. Hopefully that would buy us enough time.

We didn't stop running until we got back to our camp, and we decided that we would stay here no longer. Packing our bags, we prepared to chart course to our next destination when Toph pulled me aside. "I want to send a letter to my parents," she requested, waving a sheet of paper in my face, "Sokka used some of the money we scammed to buy a messenger hawk so we can use that to send it."

There was no hint of hesitation from Toph's tone. Rather, she spoke with genuine kindness and sincerity, leading me to believe that perhaps she was ready to turn the page. I didn't deny that it would take time for Toph to mend her fences completely with her parents, but perhaps this was a good start. Granting her request, I took a seat next to her and grabbed a brush. "I'm ready whenever you are," I told her. Maybe, with this new understanding, it could lead to us having more fruitful cooperation in the future. After all, we were all in this together for the war effort, and it was only right that we looked out for each other even regarding things outside the war, such as our families.

________________________________________

**Toph's POV**

"Actually, he wasn't lying," I chimed in, cutting short the nonstop ranting by Katara and Sokka. Our invasion of the Fire Nation capital turned out to be one of the most humiliating defeats I had ever experienced. Not only did we not find the Fire Lord, we ended up having to face Azula, the Fire Nation princess. That chicken only ran away from us, dodging all our attacks and refusing to take us head-on. The most embarrassing part was that my unique skill of lie detection became totally useless, given Azula was an expert liar. I would earth bend a pillar into that cocky freak's spine next time I see her!

But I was most shocked with Azula stalling by mentioning Suki, her supposed "favourite prisoner." Apparently, Azula found out that Captain Boomerang wasn't so clueless after all, as Sokka told us to just ignore her and tried to find the Fire Lord on our own. She claimed Suki was being tortured but lost her will to wait for Sokka anymore. That got Sokka all worked up and went after Azula, with some help from me, as I was the one who pinned Azula against the rocky wall. I had to admit that I was partially guilty in losing the time, but boy did that arrogant snob deserve some harsh punishment. I wished the eclipse was longer so we could really set her in her place!

Right now, we had another issue to deal with. When the eclipse was over, the Fire Nation launched a counteroffensive and destroyed our submarines. The adults stayed behind while I left with my group, along with Teo, Haru, and The Duke. Right now, we had to find Aang a fire bending teacher. But the strangest event happened when Zuko followed us here to the Western Air Temple and asked to be chosen. Zuko even claimed he set Appa free after we lost him in Ba Sing Se, which didn't seem like he was lying. Naturally, there were vehement refusals from Katara and Sokka, but the more I thought about it, the more I realized that it was the only way to go.

"I'm just saying that considering his messed-up family and how he was raised, he could have turned out a lot worse," I stated. While I tried to be nonchalant, pretending not to care about Zuko, in reality I was quite concerned. I felt Katara and Sokka were letting their past grudges cloud their judgment, to the point that they missed who Zuko really was. Even though Azula and the Fire Lord made my parents resemble guardian spirits rather than control freaks, they forgot that Zuko had Iroh with him on his exile journey. With that old tea bag around, I doubted that Zuko could become that terrible of a person.

"While he was talking to us, he was sincere," I emphasized again, shooting down Katara's sarcastic remark that Zuko ought to receive the "not-as-much-a-jerk-as-you-could-have-been" medal. I hated to say it, but it seemed like Sugar Queen and I switched roles, with her being stubborn and sarcastic while I was kind and gentle. I better not tried this too often, or people would think the Blind Bandit went softer than a wet noodle!

Either way, I continued pushing my point, "Maybe you're all just letting your hurt feelings keep you from thinking clearly." After all, it was Zuko's own uncle who told me an open mind was a clear mind, so why not try convincing these guys of that philosophy? Zuko obviously had to open his mind if he claimed he was trying to rectify his mistakes, so it couldn't hurt to at least give him a chance, right?

Before long, it was a three-on-one battle, with Katara, Sokka, and Aang all listing an event on how Zuko did them damage. Whether it was capturing them with pirates, or burning down Kyoshi Island, or harassing them at Avatar Roku's temple, it all seemed like they were speaking without thinking. It was time I beat the main message into their heads. "You're all ignoring one crucial fact," I snapped back, stomping on the ground right before Aang, "Aang must have a fire bending teacher. We can't think of a single person in the world to do the job. Now one shows up on a silver platter, and you won't even think about it?" It took all my energy not to send boulders at these numbskulls.

But believe it or not, there were actually people more stubborn than me, as neither one of those three would budge on this issue. I could literally feel my brain explode at the ridiculous attitudes of these three morons. "I'm beginning to wonder who really is the blind one around here," I shouted, turning around to leave the area. I really wanted to be away from these three, as I couldn't understand why they had so much trouble accepting Zuko. Even if Zuko did do all those nasty things, couldn't they at least try to give him a chance to change? I mean, I joined them because I wanted a change, and they accepted me. So why was it so hard to accept someone who's more confused than me in his life?

As I felt the cool outside air around me, I really thought about Zuko and how his recent actions might affect us. Either Azula manipulated Zuko into being our spy, or Iroh got through to him and inspired him to change. I personally felt it was the latter, since I doubted Zuko chose to betray Iroh with ease. Even with Azula's cunningness, it was hard to believe that Zuko would accept being a pawn. Iroh told me Zuko's internal turmoil led to his confusion in the first place, so the last thing Zuko wanted to do was to let himself be used again. It’s likely he might just go back to Iroh, who might have made progress in letting Zuko see what he had to do. "Iroh, always one with wise words," I muttered with a smile, "I sure hope he's okay after our botched invasion."

But it was Iroh's words that made me really want to seek out Zuko myself. I knew that Iroh told me he appreciated meeting strangers and exchanging advice with them, so I wondered if Zuko would be just as open to that. After all, if I told him my advice to Iroh, that Iroh ought to say how much he needed Zuko, maybe Zuko would listen and realized that there were people in the world who truly cared about him. It might sound too sappy for my taste, but the logic behind this oddly made sense. After all, Zuko probably had trouble with his life because nobody truly cared, so why not show him otherwise?

I waited until the sun had set before going to seek out Zuko. Personally, it was much safer for both him and me, as I never knew what those irrational idiots would do if they found out. Knowing that Zuko was probably in the woods nearby, I moved in as slowly as possible, hoping to sense at least some movement. I managed to locate the general direction, and it was just a matter of getting there and speaking with Zuko. If I could get even a couple of comments in, I was sure I could talk Zuko into our group.

"Who's there?" Zuko's sharp tone cut into my thoughts. I realized I made a big mistake by hurrying to Zuko, as Zuko thought I might be an enemy. "Stay back!" he hollered, and before long, the entire area around my body became scorching hot.

"Stop, it's me!" I yelled back, trying to set up a stone wall to prevent being cooked alive. I never expected Zuko to react with aggression, so I had to admit that I was taken by surprise. Perhaps this wasn't the best time to visit him? Maybe I ought to step back and let Zuko cool down before approaching him again?

But all that had to wait as a searing pain shot through my feet. I collapsed onto the ground, realizing that I was truly blind now. "You burned my feet," I stuttered, trying to crawl away. I could only hope that the senses in my hands were just as good in locating my route here as my feet. I certainly wouldn't want to stay here while Sparky over there continued flaring away. Was it that difficult to be a moderator?

I could hear Zuko still hollering at me, but it didn't matter right now. I wasn't safe here, certainly not with my feet burned. I tried to throw whatever rocks I could with my hands at him, not even caring if they hit or not. Zuko was still yelling inaudibly at me, and before I knew it a set of hands grabbed me by the shoulders. "Get off me!" I cried, flipping myself onto my back. With more earth to work with, I pushed up a pillar at Zuko, sending him sky high. Hey, at least that gave me time to escape, right?

The painful journey back to the air temple took all night, and to no one's surprise Katara and Sokka didn't take it well. Even when I tried to explain that it was an accident, as it was me not telling Zuko I was there that led him burning me, they wouldn't hear any of it. "Zuko's clearly too dangerous to be left alone, so we're going to have to go after him," Sokka insisted as him and Aang placed my feet into a nearby fountain. The cool liquid did sooth my feet a bit, but it did little to remedy my hurt feelings.

Things really got out of hand when the temple suddenly got bombarded by several fire blasts, leading Aang and Sokka to lifting me out of the pool to safety. It was really frustrating that I couldn't be of any help to the battle, as the group identified the assailant as the Combustion Man. Strangely enough, Zuko claimed he was the one who hired the Combustion Man to pursue Aang, but I clearly heard his voice telling the Combustion Man that the mission was off. So was he really looking out for us after all?

But with the furious blasts, I could tell that it wouldn't be long before we were sent flying off the cliff side. There had to be something we could do, right? If I could earth bend right now, I would bend the entire temple's rocks at the Combustion Man. "I could get an angle on him," Sokka stated amidst all the panic. Oh Sokka, if there was a time that your crazy plans had to work, I sure hoped it was now.

Several agonizing seconds when by before I heard a loud clang, which was followed by Sokka's celebratory cheer. It was followed by a loud explosion, the most violent one yet as the entire foundation of the temple was rocked. I couldn't see what happened, but Katara told me that there was a huge cloud of dust, with the Combustion Man nowhere to be seen. "I think he blew himself up?" she guessed, unsure of what really went down. But hey, a win was a win, regardless of how we won, right?

Zuko finally approached after the huge mess, barely alive after struggling with the Combustion Man earlier. Even though I had no way of telling how he felt, I knew he was genuine. "I've been through a lot in the past few years," he described, "I thought I had lost my honour, and that somehow my father could return it to me. But I know now that no one can give you your honour. It's something you earn for yourself by choosing to do what's right. All I want now is to play my part in ending this war, and I know that my destiny is to help you restore balance to the world."

But Zuko then made a comment to me, telling me about what happened last night. "I'm sorry for what I did to you, it was an accident," he informed me, with true remorse in his tone, "Fire can be dangerous and wild. As a fire bender, I need to be more careful and control my bending so I don't hurt people unintentionally."

With that statement, I knew Zuko was ready to join our group. I didn't even hesitate when Aang asked me for my input. "It'll give me plenty of time to get back at him for burning my feet," I joked, mashing my right fist into my left palm. With one new character in our camp, it was bound to make things that much more exciting around here.

But for me, my main issue was to talk to Zuko about what his uncle told me. I felt I had a real bond, one that no one else in my group had, with Iroh. Perhaps, with our common knowledge on Iroh's ideas and philosophies, we could work together on how we could move on after the war was over. For both the Fire Nation and the Earth Kingdom, there was a lot of work to be done, and Iroh's words were merely a stepping stone for us to truly restore this much-needed balance in a scarred world.

________________________________________

**Toph's POV**

"It's weird to say, but the comet actually looks beautiful," Suki commented as we rode tranquilly on this Eel Hound. Things didn't exactly stay peaceful after Zuko joined our group. Zuko went on three separate journeys with Aang, Sokka, and Katara, each one changing up that person's life forever. Aang learned the background knowledge to fire bending, Sokka broke into a high security prison and ended up freeing his father and Suki, while Katara met up with the man who supposedly killed her mother and gave her closure. Looks like Zuko was just like his uncle with how he changed people, I thought.

And speaking of uncle, Zuko managed to reconcile with Iroh as well. Days before we had to face the Fire Lord (before Sozin's Comet arrived), Aang somehow disappeared on us, leaving us scrambling for help. I had no idea why Twinkle Toes ran off, but he did express concern when he was told he had to kill the Fire Lord. Maybe his air bender's nature to not harm life caused him to have doubts, but to go off without a word was just unusual. Zuko then tried seeking out Iroh, hoping he could offer us some wisdom. And it was during our stay at his camp outside Ba Sing Se, where all these old people (including Sokka's master Piandao) calling themselves the Order of the White Lotus gathered, that Zuko and Iroh reconciled. I knew Iroh would be proud of Zuko now that he joined us.

But right now, there were bigger fish to fry, as Iroh insisted that our group ought to stop the final invasion even without Aang. Zuko told us that the Fire Lord planned to burn the Earth Kingdom to the ground from their airships using comet-enhanced fire bending. While Zuko and Katara went to stop Azula, I accompanied Sokka and Suki to stop the airships. As we rode the Eel Hound in this body of water just before reaching the airship base, I felt a strange silence surrounding us. The winds were unusually calm, and the atmosphere was strangely cool. Even when it was a hot summer day, it felt almost like autumn with the sun drowned out by the comet. "Too bad the Fire Lord is about to use the comet to destroy the world," I responded to Suki's statement. I guessed it was like what Zuko said: fire might be beautiful, but also unpredictable and dangerous.

By the time we dismounted the Eel Hound, we knew time was running out. I could feel a rumbling through the rocks, knowing that it originated from the airship base on the other side of this hill. As we climbed to the top, I could hear a low humming sound echoing around me. "The fleet is already taking off!" Sokka exclaimed.

Biting my lower lip, I realized desperate times called for desperate measures. I had been practicing some rather unique earth bending skills recently, so let's see if they could come in handy. "Where's the closest airship?" I demanded, grabbing Sokka with my left hand and Suki with my right. The second Sokka announced the location, I stomped the ground as hard as I could, sending up a pillar which catapulted us into the sky. Feeling unsure of my skill for the first time, I could only hope I was accurate.

After flailing through the air for what felt like an eternity, I was suddenly jolted back to reality when two sets of arms broke my fall. Being in the air was no fun, given I had no earth to feel out my location. Luckily, Sokka and Suki flipped me back to normal, letting me feel the cool metallic bars under my feet. "Looks like my skill wasn't that bad after all," I murmured to no one in particular. With the serious and tense situation ahead, I really wasn't in the mood to show off. While all I would lose in Earth Rumble was some money and bragging rights, a lot more would be gone if we lost this battle.

Sokka and Suki brought me to the control room of this airship, asking me to take care of the metal door. Even though I was nervous, I was still confident in cracking some Fire Nation heads. Punching out the door, I wrapped the sheet of metal around my body and went on the attack, using all the metal in the room to pin and disable the crew. After tossing a few out the windows, I peeled it all off and stood before the controls. "That's how it's done," I emphasized. If these fire bending bozos thought they had the advantage just because of the comet, then they clearly didn't know who they were messing with.

Sokka asked Suki to take the controls while he helped us navigate. Given that I was the blind one, asking me to do anything was probably ineffective. Sokka also had a plan to get rid of all remaining crew members (the ones I didn't toss out the windows earlier) by lowering the airship and gathering them all at the bomb bay before letting them all drop into the ocean. What was better than mixing brains with slapstick together?

Even with the crew hitting the waters, things weren't exactly getting any better. In fact, I would say they got worse, as the crew dump over the ocean only cost us valuable time. "We're not going to catch up to him in time!" Sokka shouted, referring to the Fire Lord's lead ship. I felt every muscle in my body deflate, my usual confidence sapping away as I could only wait for the inevitable. So much for being the toughest earth bender around, if the Fire Lord scorched everything from here on out. Maybe the Blind Bandit ought to be changed to the Burning Bandit instead if we couldn't get to him in time.

But a series of strange sounds suddenly got my attention, as the unusually loud humming of the lead airship became significantly softer. Before we arrived to the airship base, we figured that the lead ship would have larger engines thanks to its larger size. But now, it seemed like there was a malfunction or something like that, creating an eerily softer sound. As Suki and I wondered what was going on, Sokka exclaimed excitedly, "It's Aang! He's back!" he grabbed me by my shoulder, holding me (and I assumed Suki in his other arm) tight. Well, so maybe Twinkle Toes didn't wimp out after all!

But another issue was at hand, as we had no way of helping him. Even when we knew that we had to stop this fleet, there was nothing I could do. "I can't see outside of this floating hunk of metal!" I shouted back. Given that we were in the air, I had no way of seeking out any airship's location. Add the fact that there was nothing earthen that I could bend and shoot that far distance, and I was reduced to a helpless spectator in the biggest scorching in the history of the Earth Kingdom, if not the world.

Sokka, on the other hand, had a weird idea. Coming up with a move named "airship slice," he took over the controls, leaving Suki and I standing around awkwardly. Soon enough, I found out what Sokka was doing the hard way as a huge punch below blasted the airship into the air. My arms flailed before my fingers landed on the nearest object, which happened to be a set of handles. I felt my entire weight pressed against the wall as the airship swerved violently, most likely the result of making a wide turn.

That lurch pushed my face nearly out the now-broken window. A scorching amount of heat blasted up at me, which sobered me up regarding the true power of fire bending. "That's a lot of fire, isn't it?" I uttered, my face nearly burned. After this, I doubted I would underestimate fire ever again. The burns I got on my feet after I tried reaching out to Zuko were nothing compared to what the ground below us was subject to.

After a few more violent lurches, I figured that the airship was now in position for Sokka's attack. "Let's get to the top of this thing fast," Sokka called, grabbing me by the hand, "And watch each other's backs." I had no idea what was about to happen, but if what Sokka said was true, then it would be a rough ride indeed.

We barely got to the top of the airship when a series of deafening thuds rocked the place. I couldn't feel a thing except for Sokka's hand holding mine, leading me away as jolt after jolt ripped through the metal below us. I didn't even think about where we were going when suddenly, the ground below me ripped apart. I could only hear Suki scream, her voice drowning out into the background as she called, "Just finish the mission!" As she echoed through, I felt my heart sink, knowing she might never be around again.

But soon, it was me who got the feeling that I might not live to see another day as our piece of the airship slammed into another one, sending Sokka and I flying off. We landed with a thud, shaking up my ribs as Sokka wrapped his arms over me. Heat and broken pieces of airship hailed onto us as we ducked for cover. I wasn't sure how many airships were knocked out because of Captain Boomerang's move, but judging from the faint engine sounds around me, there was still more raining fire onto the ground below.

By the time things calmed down, Sokka brought me to another area. I placed my hands on what seemed like a wall, but Sokka corrected me in saying that this was the rudder of another airship. "Metal bend the rudder so it's jammed in the turning position," Sokka instructed, "The ship will spiral and slam into the others."

Finally, there was something I could do to contribute! Spitting into my hands, I clawed at the rudder, feeling the metal underneath my fingers twist as the rudder turned our way. As usual, Sokka went out of his way to compliment my metal bending, which I told him he ought to do so more often. After all, few people could claim they came up with moves all on their own. So while Aang did Air Scooter, and Iroh invented lightning redirection, I had something to call my own. Who knew it would be useful in this war?

But soon enough, our gig was up, as I heard a creak from the metal compartment behind us. We were directly blasted with flames, causing Sokka to do the unthinkable as he grabbed my hand and leaped off the roof, sliding only by imbedding his sword onto the hull. Inside, I felt my gut wrenched and coiled over again and again, wondering if we could cheat death one more time. As we landed with a jolt, the only thing I realized was that there was no ground beneath me, the most terrifying thing that could happen to any earth bender. That's right, I was dangling in mid-air holding only Sokka's arm.

I could only hear a couple of swishes and clangs, followed by Sokka lamenting that his space sword was now lost forever. But right now, I was willing to lose anything over Sokka's grip, which seemed to be weakening by the second. Was this the end for us? If so, then at least I could die with the one guy that I trusted the most, right? For the first time ever, I felt regrets. I never got a chance to reconcile with my parents, despite asking Katara to write that letter. I never bonded further with Suki and Zuko, two very kind people that I hadn't known very well yet. But lastly, I would never get the chance to live in the new world after the war, with divisiveness replaced by balance and tolerance. Great things might be at hand in the future, but I might not live to see it.

Another bone-jarring hit rocked me, most likely delaying the inevitable. Sokka's balance on the ledge finally gave, sending both of us hurtling over. I braced for a hard hit, only to have my fall cut short by yet another hunk of metal. I weakly wobbled to my feet, thankful that I was still alive. "What happened?" I demanded.

Sokka, who was right at my feet, struggled to get up. Earlier, I heard him yell that his leg seemed to be broken, meaning he was in no position to move around. But even from the ground, he could see what I couldn't. "Suki came back," he pointed out.

Before long, Suki's voice could be heard, her footsteps getting louder as she came up to us. "Are you guys alright?" she asked. As she lifted us back up, I was so thankful to have escaped with relatively minor wounds. Sokka, despite the broken leg, was most likely in the same place I was, so happy that we didn't know whether we should laugh or cry. Now that we stopped the fire, we could only hope Aang could defeat the Fire Lord.

________________________________________

**Toph's POV**

Iroh's music played serenely in the background as we gathered in his rebuilt tea shop in Ba Sing Se. Aang found a surprising way to defeat the Fire Lord without taking his life, opting to strip him of his bending, as taught to him by a Lion Turtle. That guy had the craziest adventure when he disappeared, but at least he could do the job without sacrificing his beliefs. Besides, with the "Phoenix-King-of-getting-his-butt-whipped" now in jail and relatively harmless, it paved the way for the new Fire Lord to take over.

And said new Fire Lord was right here with us, serving Iroh and the rest of us some tea. Zuko wanted to reconcile with the world by holding his first meeting as Fire Lord with the now repatriated Earth King, hoping a prisoners exchange could ease some of the tension. I wasn't really interested in boring political stuff, but it was really cool to at least spend some time with my friends after such trying times. Had it not been for these people, I would never be reborn like this. At least they taught me I didn't always have to use toughness and rebellions to get my way, although it was still fun to argue with them.

But it was moments like these that really made me cherish what I had now. With Sokka fruitlessly trying to paint us realistically, all the while the group teased him, I had all the love and happiness right here. It taught me to open up my mind, and accepted my friends for who they were. Maybe, just maybe, when I went back to my parents again, I could inspire them to change their attitudes too. It wouldn't be easy, and I expected it to be quite painful to reopen old wounds. But if it made me a better person, then maybe it could make them better people too. As I got up from my seat, I thought of only one thing:

My name is Toph. That was my story. Those were my rites of passage.


	19. Sokka, Part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Each character grows up with a set of experiences unique to themselves. Watch each person describe what went through their minds and how they changed as they reacted to the world. These are their stories, these are their rites of passage.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: Michael DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko own Avatar.

**Sokka's POV**

I had never felt this tense since my father and the other men left our village to fight in the war, but knowing what was about to arrive at our shores, I concentrated extra hard. Even my usual sarcastic side took a back seat as I placed on my armour, face paint, and weapons, knowing that lives were at stake. I was the only man left, and it was my responsibility to defend my tribe. If these Fire Nation soldiers dared to set foot here, they would be making the mistake of a lifetime.

As I stepped out onto our ice fortress, there was an eerie silence. Being winter, I usually expected some wind howling past, or even penguins squawking in the distance. But today, I heard nothing and saw even less, my breathing smothered by this thick blanket of fog. I tried training the boys, which apparently was more troublesome than I envisioned. How could anyone demand for a potty break in the middle of a battle? If that happened for real, I would be sure that the kid would be taking the last pee of his life!

An ominous dark shape loomed before me, accompanied by a soft hum. Twists formed inside my stomach, even though I already had plenty to eat. I tried holding my ground as snow and ice cracked and chipped beneath my feet. Even with my club held high, I had a strange feeling that I was losing altitude, slowly sliding down from the walls even as I posed before the giant ship now docking at our shore. Suddenly, I felt like an ice sculpture of sorts being carried away. Since when did I become that famous?

As if trying to humiliate me (and in turn the rest of our tribe), the Fire Nation ship lowered their deck right at me, knocking me off just to avoid being speared. Snow and ice blasted around, burying my now collapsed body as the humming halted. As I strained to get up, I was going to make sure these Fire Nation guys weren't about to get off easy. Nobody made a mockery out of me and got away with it!

Just as I thought things couldn't get worse, it did. It always felt like the world was out to get me as the leader of this Fire Nation team threw me aside and off the ramp like yesterday's garbage. I had no idea how he could kick away my club and then me off the ramp all in one motion with the same leg. Was I seriously missing something here? Now I was totally buried in metres of snow, my face stung nonstop by the white stuff all the while my legs kicked around helplessly. How embarrassing could this get?

But the fact still remained that here was this fire bender threatening my tribe. A man ought to provide for his women and children, and that's what I had to do. Digging myself out of the snow, I raced at the team leader, swinging my club ferociously. Even when I was thrown over the guy's shoulder, I battled on, grabbing a spear from a nearby kid and charging again. My father and the other men taught me to never be afraid of death, but that didn't mean not to be afraid of humiliation. After snapping my spear into several pieces, the snob poked me with the blunt end of that thing. While I stood there like a mannequin, not able to move forward or back, the Fire Nation guy had to throw more salt on the wound with his fire blades. As I was flung into the snow again, I really wonder if there was any chance.

Yet who came to the rescue? Yup, the source of our problems, a bald kid named Aang who carried a staff, had an arrow tattoo on his head, and was more interested in distracting the kids from warrior training. Aang slid in on his penguin and cut that guy's legs from under him, making the first hit by any of us. And of course, he ended in a flourish by skidding the bird, whipping up a snowstorm at, without a doubt, me. "Hi, Aang," I muttered, wiping the snow off my face, "Thanks for coming." Great, now I was being shown up by some goofy boy who was locked in a block of ice earlier.

"You're the air bender? You're the Avatar?" the Fire Nation team lead asked in shock. My head involuntarily perked up as I watched them circle each other. There was no way that hyper goofball was the long-lost saviour of the world! I lost my faith in bending, having grown up in a village with few benders. When the Fire Nation raided us in years past, I was under the impression that all benders were taken prisoner. Except for my sister Katara, who had basic knowledge of water bending, no one was familiar with it. So to have the most powerful bender in the world before me was a bit hard to believe.

In seconds, fire met staff as the Fire Nation teen blasted away, only to have Aang twirl his staff and block a lot of shots. I was completely helpless with no fight left in me, ducking away as the children behind me screamed in fear. I thought he was going to burn the whole place down. At this rate, I might be remembered as the warrior who found the Avatar and then let his village be burned to a crisp. Some hero I would be, huh?

Then, in what was either the bravest move to sacrifice himself for the safety of our tribe, or the dumbest move by letting the last hope for the world be captured, Aang offered to go with the Fire Nation, on the condition that we were left alone. For the first time since my father left the tribe, I was left speechless, with not even one witty remark from my mouth. I couldn't quite erase the last image as the Fire Nation troops escorted Aang onto their ship, the boarding bridge closing and Aang's look of uneasiness burned into my brain. Given how he just saved our tribe, now it was our job to save him.

Originally, I was only going to pack in a canoe, given it was the only source of transportation new got. Even as our grandmother Kanna came to remind us how this was the only chance we had for hope in our world, I couldn't help but think Katara was right when she criticized my move (even though she was the one who demanded it in the first place). "There's no way we're going to catch a war ship with a canoe," she stated. Biting my lower lip, I racked my brain hard. There had to be another option, right?

Then a huge white furry creature lumbered into our path, the same one that made its greeting with me by covering me with snot. Appa, Aang's Sky Bison, was left behind when Aang was captured. Given how Aang told us it could fly, maybe that was what we required. Although I had never seen it take flight before, presumably because it was tired after being in that block of ice with Aang for a hundred years, maybe it was worth a try. "You just love taking me out of my comfort zone," I commented, both in exasperation and in relief. Grabbing our stuff, we headed straight for the six-legged beast.

But the confounding creature just didn't want to listen to us, opting to paddling its way through the water after the war ship. I could only throw my head back and clench my face, wondering why nothing seemed to go my way. "Go, fly, soar," I muttered, crossing my arms in disgust, "Up, ascend, elevate." I was quickly running out of words to say to this annoying beast, who didn't seem to care that its owner was the one in danger. Maybe we should use it for bait to catch a whale or something like that. That was bound to get us enough to eat for months, provided it moved fast enough to reach the Fire Nation before Aang got executed! "What did that kid say? Yip yip?" I asked.

Before long, I was thrown straight into the back, with only the saddle preventing me from falling off. I took one look below and realized we weren't in the water anymore. "He's flying! He's flying, Katara!" I shouted in excitement. Whatever doubts I had about how insignificant flight was got fully erased, as this was the experience of a lifetime.

By the time we caught up to the Fire Nation warship, we saw the most amazing thing ever. A huge whirlpool of water swirled violently near the ship before it created a waterspout, with Aang at the centre. My jaw nearly fell into the ocean as Aang's arrows and eyes glowed ominously, propelling him straight onto the ship's deck before sending water in every direction, either freezing soldiers in blocks of ice or knocking them into the sea. "Now that was some water bending!" I commented, my mind still in shock.

We quickly landed onto the deck, with Katara grabbing Aang while I scoured for his staff. It gave me quite a shock when the Fire Nation team lead tried to climb back onto the deck by reaching for the staff at the same time I took it, but I gave him an old-fashioned poke to the head, the same way he poked me with the broken spear earlier. As he dangled on the anchor, I taunted him, "That's from the water tribe!"

We lifted off in a hurry, not even bothering to look back. Even as the Fire Nation launched two shots, Aang whipped his staff around and blasted wind at the icebergs, burying the Fire Nation ship in a mountain of snow and ice. With the threat stabilized, it gave us time to plan our next move, but also for me to give everything some thought. Even though my faith in the bending arts faded, I still had to acknowledge how powerful that was. I was not a bender by any means, but it showed me that, with this war still going on, there was always a need for bending. And despite having no bending, I was willing to help Aang out in any way possible. I was a warrior, and I had to make my tribe, but especially my father, proud. If I could bring world peace in the process, then it was a journey I was itching to make, even if it meant stepping out of my boundaries for good.

________________________________________

**Sokka's POV**

"I would be honoured if you would teach me," I requested, getting onto my knees and not lifting my eyes an inch off the floor. I never imagined that I would be like this to a bunch of girls, but they sure taught me a lesson. It was only a little while after we left the Southern Water Tribe with Aang, arriving at the Southern Air Temple only to find it completely empty and destroyed by the Fire Nation. It was with the discovery of the body of his former mentor Gyatso that Aang again showed us the power of the Avatar State. It took everything my sister and I had to calm him down, and only then did Aang realize that he was truly the last air bender left in the world.

But Aang's self-discovery mirrored my own, as just like Aang had to pull out of his naïve, fun-loving self to confront the reality, I had to do so as well. After going to the Southern Air Temple, Aang took us to Kyoshi Island, with the original intent of the visit being riding the large koi in the bay. We weren't too keen on staying in an island we weren't familiar with, so it only made things worse that we got captured by its natives. But when the defence team of this isolated spot was nothing more than a bunch of tough-talking girls, it definitely got on my nerves. The way I saw it, women were made to stay at home, tended to food and family, and served their men. Defence and security were jobs for males, so what was this wannabe warrior doing claiming to throw us to the fish?

"I teach you? Even if I'm a girl?" Suki, the leader of this group, the Kyoshi Warriors, retorted. Each word she threw at me stung more than the icy waters that Aang was in earlier. I wasn't too impressed by this team at first, and wanted to teach them a lesson. Unfortunately, I kind of let my own arrogance get to my head, as it was Suki who taught me the lesson of a lifetime. Even though it still pained me to return to this place, where these blasted girls were bound to rub it into my face, it was a price I was willing to pay. If this could open my mind, maybe I could use this knowledge to help the world.

A brisk winter breeze whizzed past the open door behind me just. I could feel my whole notion of men superior to women being slowly peeled away like burned skin. Feeling Suki's eyes bore into me, I prepared my response. It was one thing that led me to this humiliating confrontation, and even though I tried not to think about it, I realized it had to be done. "I'm sorry I insulted you. I was wrong," I replied, bowing my head in shame, "I won't let you down." By this time, my forehead was touching the cold floorboards.

To my surprise, Suki and her teammates agreed to teach me. At least I knew for today, I could atone for my mistakes. I felt relief wash through me completely, until the Kyoshi Warriors pulled out one of their uniforms for me to wear. "Do I really have to wear this?" I asked as they pulled the uniform over my head, "It feels a little, girly." There was no way the main warrior of the Southern Water Tribe would be caught dead seen in this uniform. Maybe feeding me to the sea monster Unagi wasn't a bad idea now.

But Suki would have none of it, claiming this uniform signified all of Avatar Kyoshi, one of Aang's past lives and this island's namesake. Stressing that I must fight with honour and bravery, Suki then started me on my lesson. I had to admit that the only saving grace here was that her team was about to head home for the night, or else I might be further embarrassed by my lack of skill in my first lesson. Why couldn't I be carefree and frolic in the snow like Aang is currently doing with his new fan club?

I used every ounce of energy to concentrate on Suki as she went through the basic steps with me. I half-marched and half-danced my way through the sequence, the armour’s weight making every move awkward. Add the fan to my outfit and I honestly was in another world. "I think I'm starting to get it," I pivoted and spun, gathering my strength and whipped the fan. Unfortunately, it sailed out the open door and struck a tree, knocking out all the snow on its branches. Suki took one look out the door, and I knew her patience must be tested to the extreme. Why should she waste her time teaching a bozo like me?

But Suki didn't sound angry at all. Instead, there was a genuine patience in her tone, almost like she was encouraging me. "Think of the fan as an extension of your arm," she explained, getting into position across from me. I mimicked her posture, all the while absorbing her word, "Wait for an opening, and then…"

The second Suki advanced, my instinct kicked in. Hearing Suki's description and watching her movement made it second nature to me as I jabbed my fist right into her right armpit and knocked her off balance. I had to admit that I was in shock to see Suki on the ground, with her expression as stunned as mine when I first arrived. Soon, my shock wore off and my funny side resurfaced. "I got you! Admit it, I got you!"

Surprisingly, Suki took it fairly well, as she replied sarcastically, "It was a lucky shot. Let's see if you can do it again." Before long, our sparring got more complex, mixing advanced Kyoshi moves with some moves I created myself. As we circled each other, advancing shots and blocking the opponent, I truly bonded with Suki. Maybe girls were just as formidable fighters as guys, and my own prejudice blinded me to that fact.

But the friendly sparring had to be placed on the back burner as Oyaji, the village elder, informed us of an emergency. Fire benders came on shore, and a fleet of Komodo Rhinos was parked right before the village. "Come on out, Avatar! You can't hide from me forever!" A loud voice boomed. Without even looking, I knew who it was. Prince Zuko, who led the Fire Nation to my village, wanted to repeat his deed on Kyoshi Island.

I raced down to the village with Suki, ready to defend the inhabitants. There was an eerie silence as houses were completely closed off, the people too fearful to come out. "You haven't mastered the advanced set of Kyoshi techniques yet, so you shouldn't take on them right now," Suki pointed out. I didn't even have time to grab my usual items. Without my weapons, I was at a disadvantage. "Go around each house and make sure the people are safe. If possible, try and find Aang and Katara, and see if they can help."

I barely had time to ask if Suki would be alright before she ran off. Several Komodo Rhinos advanced, only to be ambushed by Kyoshi Warriors. The girls held their own against the fire benders while Suki went after the Fire Nation prince, dodging his fire balls along the way. Seeing her move against the backdrop of the sun setting sun behind the mountains, her steps smooth and effortless, and her posture so composed even, it truly made me reflect upon my nastiness towards her earlier. I couldn't last two kicks against that guy, and now Suki was dodging fireballs? Who was I to say that girls couldn't fight?

But soon enough, the Fire Nation teen proved how tough of an opponent he was. He whipped the rhino around and slammed into the leaping Suki. Even without being near her, I could tell she was hurt. Every muscle in my body urged me to go forward to help Suki, pushing myself through the dust cloud and straight into the line of fire as the enemy blasted her. Lifting a hand, I remembered everything Suki taught me about using the fan. Squeezing my eyes shut, I whipped it as hard as I could at the rider.

Then to my total surprise, the hit worked! Not only were there no flames near Suki or me, but it stalled Zuko a bit, giving the other warriors just enough time to kick him off the rhino and regained the upper hand. I stood there for a few more seconds, completely stunned by that move. "I guess training's over," I murmured, looking over to check on Suki, before charging in to help the others.

Yet the second I reached the others, I was met with a fiery leg whip, lighting the whole ground on fire. Apparently, this Fire Nation jerk wanted to light this whole place on fire, and only Aang could stop him. As our bodies hit the floor, Zuko got back up and marched to the centre of the village. "Nice try, Avatar, but these little girls can't save you!" Gritting my teeth, I peeled myself off the ground, all the while shooting a death glare at the assailant. Boy, with his arrogance, I'd love to smack some sense into him.

Luckily, Aang showed up, which distracted that angry psycho away from us. It gave me enough time to grab Suki and pulled her to safety. I knew both of us suffered some injuries, and it would be a matter of time before things got worse. "There's no time to say goodbye," Suki told me, insisting that I got the Avatar to safety. With things the way they were right now, Kyoshi Island would be burning rubble in minutes.

"What about 'I'm sorry'?" I replied. Seeing how well Suki defended her village, and how much she changed my perception of the other gender, I truly felt I owed her this phrase. Right now I was a bundle of shame sitting before her. "I treated you like a girl when I should have treated you like a warrior." That line was from my heart, and I sure hoped it could at least let Suki realize that I was willing to change to make things better.

But despite the make-up on her face, I knew nothing could mask how Suki truly felt. Leaning over and kissed my cheek, she stated, "I am a warrior, but I'm a girl too." I couldn't help but raise my hand, rubbing the spot her lips grazed earlier. Was this truly the beginning of my acceptance of the other gender?

But I had no time to think about this, as Suki insisted that we left while she held off the fire benders. Boarding Appa, my mind swirled nonstop by the drastic change I experienced here. Not only had my courage been tested, but my perception of the world had also changed. Reality wasn't what I perceived it to be, and I guessed as my journey with Aang continued, it would continue to shift. Even as Aang jumped into the bay to fetch the Unagi, hoping to use it to spray out the fires, I couldn't help but think about what new surprises would head my way. I would probably still be running into walls, but at least, for the first time in my life, I could say that was a good thing.

________________________________________

**Sokka's POV**

"I didn't see any knife!" I yelled, feeling the leaves outside rustle. The days after the Kyoshi Island incident weren't exactly easy for us, as we seemed to get ourselves in one dilemma after another. From being imprisoned on an offshore rig, to being chased by pirates hired by the Fire Nation, we couldn't seem to do anything smoothly. The weirdest one was when Aang and I were trying to save a village from being attacked by a panda spirit, and I was kidnapped by said spirit and taken into the Spirit World. Who knew the Spirit World had no place where I could urinate? Boy, did I have to go when that panda bear released me! Next time, I would make sure to relieve myself before any battle.

But this latest twist of events irritated me the most, when we were finding our way out of this forest and heading for the Northern Water Tribe. Aang managed to get some information from Avatar Roku in his temple on Crescent Island in the Fire Nation, and told us that there would be a comet coming this summer, giving the fire benders an unlimited amount of power. With time of the essence, the only way we could beat the Fire Nation was to learn all four elements as soon as possible. Everything was going okay until he showed up, and absolutely monopolized Aang and my sister.

"There was no knife!" I shouted again, my frustration level building. "He" was Jet, this outlaw wannabe who stashed himself up in these woods with a bunch of kids claiming to rid the area of fire benders. We met when I mistakenly led my group into a Fire Nation military campsite. This guy literally swooped in from nowhere and swept my sister off her feet, putting on enough charms to make me puke. Even though we had the same enemy, I didn't trust Jet. While I was willing to fight the Fire Nation army, Jet took it one step further by attacking an elderly harmless civilian. Did he have any decency?

But boy, did Jet put on the act. Insisting that the old man brought a knife with poison to assassinate him, he got Aang and Katara hook, line, and sinker. "I'm going back to the hut and packing my things," I growled, not wanting to waste another second of my time on this garbage. I actually did feel I bonded with Jet when he asked me to join his scouting mission, but when he started bullying that old man, things got out of hand. The senior was harmless and begging for mercy, but Jet harassed him non-stop. I might hate the Fire Nation, but no way would I do that to their people, especially an elder. I had morals I would never break, so it alarmed me when Jet stepped across the line so easily.

As I gathered my belongings, ready for a morning departure, a few words Katara said came back to me. She felt one reason I was bitter at Jet was that my leadership skills were weaker than his. To an extent, it was true, as I never commanded a large group like Jet. Even when dealing with the young kids at the Southern Water Tribe, it was evident that I had trouble with them. If Katara was to continue, she would claim my instinct was always wrong, and I ought to rely less on that. Given my instinct marched us straight into a Fire Nation camp, maybe Katara was somewhat justified in making that statement.

But unlike Jet, I knew what a real leader must have: morals and principles. I knew it was wrong to attack innocent civilians, and I knew it was wrong to make up lies just to cheat and manipulate others. While Jet had the charm and charisma to lead, his methods were underhanded and unethical. There was no way I would submit myself to such a leader, and there was no way I would use these methods to lead. Leadership was about building trust and respect. I might still be a ways away from getting both, but I knew what I had to do to get it. Unlike that weasel Jet, I was willing to use my own two hands and my head, and proved to people that I could lead, rather than using only hocus-pocus.

Before long, I found myself leaning against the hut's wall and drifting to sleep. I still had reservations regarding how Aang and Katara supported Jet unconditionally. They claimed Jet wanted them to fill a reservoir to prevent the Fire Nation from burning down this forest. If that were the case, then I would offer those two an ultimatum: either they stopped what they were doing and left with me, or I went on by myself. And had it not been the faint sounds of talking outside, my speech was all planned out.

Wait, talking? During these late hours? This was getting just a little too suspicious for me. I tried squinting into the darkness, with nothing but trees and branches around. For a winter night, it was surprisingly calm, with no cool breezes to speak of. This was really getting uncomfortable as I climbed out of the trees, following several shadows of different sizes dance around the branches before dropping to the ground below. They all headed to a remote corner of the woods, where a cart was being filled with barrel after barrel of blasting jelly, the same stuff they raided from the Fire Nation camp. It seemed like filling up a reservoir was the least of Mr. Slick Talker's concerns right now.

To my horror, everything I guessed turned out to be true. Jet and his team took the blasting jelly and marched all the way to the dam before the reservoir, unloading and shipping them down to the dam. "We are not to blow the dam until I give the signal," I heard Jet order, "if the reservoir isn't full then the Fire Nation troops could survive." Had it not been the need to stay covered, I would go out there and strangle that guy right now. Did this lunatic think about all the innocent civilians he would kill along the way? Did he think they were pawns in his sadistic game? What kind of a leader would allow such loss of life to happen? If my father were here, he would school this moron for sure!

But that also gave me another idea. If I could get Aang and Katara out here before sunrise, maybe I could let them catch Jet in the act, and convinced them he wasn't a good person. That way, even if I couldn't stop Jet by myself, I had two more allies to turn to. Figuring that was the best move, I decided to finish hearing out their plan before moving back to camp. Who said my instinct and quick thinking were useless now?

Suddenly, I felt my hair being pulled, a wave of pain overcoming me as a blade was jabbed into my face. "Where do you think you're going, ponytail?" a female voice demanded as I was thrown into the open. I lifted my head just in time to see that ever-arrogant face glaring at me. Dawn was just about to break, giving me just enough light to catch that sneer. If Jet wanted me to surrender, he better be ready for a fight.

"I heard your plan. There are people living there, Jet. Mothers, fathers, and children," I spat, slowly rising to my feet. It didn't matter that there was a circle of Freedom Fighters around me, nor did I care that I had no weapon. Making sure I was at eye level with Jet, I stated my case. "You lied to Aang and Katara about the forest fire. I understand that there's nothing you won't do to get what you want. You can't do this!" I concluded emphatically, jabbing a finger in Jet's face. It was time the Freedom Fighters saw the truth, and that their leader was nothing but a two-faced, manipulative thug.

Jet, however, barely moved a muscle. In seconds, I felt two sets of arms grab my either side. I saw it was Smellerbee, the female warrior, and Pipsqueak, a giant of a man, marching me back into the forest. With two skilled fighters around me, I knew my time was running out. Glancing around the trees, I thought of anything that could let me get out safely. Why couldn't I be like Appa or Momo, and tried flying out of here instead?

Wait, Appa and Momo! That was a perfect idea! When we first entered these woods, Momo was caught by one of the Freedom Fighters' traps. So why not catching these two in one of those? Tilting my eyes back and forth, I realized we were awfully close to that same spot where Momo was trapped. Returning to the Freedom Fighters, I challenged Jet's leadership. "If that's how Jet leads, then he's got a lot to learn!" With that, I charged off, sprinting straight at the traps. If I could get them close, then maybe…

Wham! Wham! My plan worked perfectly as I edged just close enough for the two to step into the animal traps, encasing them and leaving them hanging in the air. As Smellerbee protested, I had to move onto the second part of my plan: Appa. My heart raced nonstop even as my pursuers were disabled. With Jet about to detonate those explosives, hundreds of lives in that Earth Kingdom town downstream would be lost. As I scaled the trees to reach Appa, I could only wonder where Aang and Katara were. "That slime ball better not hurt my sister and my friend, or I'll take him out myself," I hissed.

I never thought the feeling of Appa's fur under my feet was a welcoming scene. Even though I doubted Appa's abilities when we first freed him from that iceberg, I was so thankful to have him around. It was amazing how I doubted so many things, only to eat my words later on. My instincts might not be always right, but I still hoped they were right enough to guide me on the right path. At least during the war, I hadn't resorted to killing innocent civilians yet, so it was obvious I hadn't strayed off my morals, right?

It wasn't long before I reached the town. The Fire Nation presence was apparent, as two guards clad in red stood at the gate. Landing Appa a short distance away, I hopped off the bison and meekly approached. Even though I wasn't fond of the Fire Nation, I realized I had to communicate with the guards in order to save the town. Moistening my lips, I stepped up to the gate. "Uh, I have an important announcement to make," I told the guards, my whole body jittery, "This is going to affect everybody's lives."

All I got were two downward casting sets of eyes, making me more nervous than ever. If nobody listened, how could I save them? "Look, you have to believe me! There are these guys who want to blow up the dam and flood this whole village. If we gather everyone now, we might still make it out alive!" I ranted, waving my arms frantically. My stomach twisted as panic set in, feeling like the whole world was now in my hands.

One guard cocked an eyebrow while the other glared menacingly at me. "And how would you know that?" he challenged, "Maybe you're a spy from that renegade group, and you're just luring us out so you can slaughter us yourself!"

I found myself face-first against another spear, my second one this morning. For some reason, my face seemed awfully attracted to these sharp objects, which didn't make me feel too comfortable. "I'm not lying to you, it's the truth!" I insisted, trying to get that thing out of my face, "What will it take for you to believe me?"

Suddenly, an elderly voice could be heard calling from the village. "Hey, I know you! You're the boy I ran into in the forest!" I turned my head just in time to see an old man with a cane and a beard. Without even hesitating, I knew it was the same one Jet's group attacked in the forest. Was he trying to report me to the authorities for abusing a senior? If yes, then I guessed I might as well plead guilty.

Luckily, he didn't do anything of that sort. "You prevented those thugs from hitting me. Thank you!" he spoke with total sincerity and gratitude, which caught me by surprise. I knew back in the last Earth Kingdom town, where earth bending was banned by the Fire Nation authorities there, an old man saved by earth bending chose to rat out the bender that rescued him rather than showed gratitude. So for this to happen, I was in awe. "Please, listen to what this young man has to say," he suggested to the guards.

My body literally melted when I got one vote of confidence from this elder. I truly felt there was no Fire Nation citizen that was deemed trustworthy in my eyes, but at least one person here proved otherwise. Now, with the issue of gaining their trust off my back, I could focus on the more important task: saving the town. "I must have everyone in here evacuate immediately," I instructed the guards, gesturing at the citizens going about their daily business, "The dam will burst any minute, and we have to get everyone to higher ground right now if we all want to survive. There's not much time, so let's hurry."

The old man was one step ahead of us as he already began knocking on doors, telling the villagers to flee. By the time the guards were assembled, the citizens were all packed and ready to go. I surveyed the scene before me, amazed by how this crazy plan all worked out. "Thank you for everything," I turned to the senior now leaning on his cane next to me, "I couldn't have done any of this without you."

The old man only nodded. "It's the least I could do after what happened in the woods with those other kids," he replied, his tone calm and steady but oddly contained a sense of authority, "You're a good person, and I know you can convince your friends to change their ways. Part of being able to lead is to know when going too far is too far. For you to show that restraint and spoke up against them, it was really brave of you."

Those words truly touched my heart, as I found out what leading really meant. So not only must I show my team with my skill and heart, I had to know when to stop and just let things go. These were words that I was sure to keep with me for the rest of my life should I rebuild the water tribes after the war, but for now I had a bigger mission. "I have to go back now," I informed everyone, "My sister and my friend may be in danger from that gang. I have to rescue them before things got out of hand."

As I boarded Appa, my mind returned to facing the very person who claimed to be a better team lead than me. Jet might have a bigger team than mine, and he might be able to mobilize them better, but he forgot one thing. In his blind desire to destroy the Fire Nation, he neglected to look out for the needs of innocent civilians, the true victims in this war. In my view, not only did this prove he wasn't a good leader, but it showed he was a downright traitor. I would be sure to do anything possible to halt Jet's madness, and stopped him altogether should he do anything to Aang and Katara. Hopefully, when Aang and Katara saw Jet's true colours, they would realize what was wrong, and would distance themselves away from that phony.

________________________________________

**Katara's POV**

"Ice Dodging is a ceremonial test of wisdom, bravery, and trust," Bato, a close friend of our father's, explained. We were getting oh-so-close to the North Pole now, following along the coastline of the north-western part of the Earth Kingdom when we ran across a battle scene. Burned arrows, whale bone scimitars, and other scorch marks on the nearby trees indicated a fight between Fire Nation soldier and Water Tribe warriors, hinting to us that perhaps some of our allies were nearby. Maybe they were from the Northern Water Tribe who could take us to our final destination?

But it was a familiar face that we ran into, as we found a water tribe ship on the shore. Recognizing it as part of our father's fleet, we waited all night at the vessel until the owner showed up. It was none other than Bato, who worked closely with Dad on the war effort. He told us that during the fight with the fire benders, he was severely burned, leaving half his body bandaged. Luckily, his team managed to find an abbey of nuns that specialize in perfumes for him to stay in, at least giving him some shelter and a place to heal up while the others marched on. From what Bato told us, it seemed like our father was nearby, and they planned to rendezvous with him in the near future. How exciting could that be Sokka and I hadn't seen him in two years, so we were very anxious.

But right now, a more serious task was at hand, forcing me to wipe Dad off my mind. As Bato marched up and down on his vessel, which now departed the dock, I could only listen intently as he gave Sokka the ultimate test. "Ice Dodging is done by weaving a boat through a field of icebergs," Bato described, our ship tilting as it entered the open ocean. I looked over at Sokka, who was standing straight and tall, but also had a slight waver in his lips. Boys were supposed to go through this with their fathers at the age of fourteen, but our father wasn't present during Sokka's fourteenth birthday, meaning he never went through this rite of passage. Now, for him to lead this expedition, even with a modified version (without ice, given the warmer climate), I knew it meant a lot to him.

"You'll be dodging those," Bato pointed to the bow of the ship. My eyes trailed his finger, and suddenly my mouth turned into steel, locking into place and feeling very heavy. There was a series of finger-like rocks jutting out from the foamy waters, with waves slashing around them and creating a very dangerous obstacle course. "Sokka, you steer and call the shot. Lead wisely," Bato instructed, placing a hand on Sokka's arm.

I glanced nervously at Sokka as he gripped the rudder, his knees slightly bent and his eyes tilting back and forth between bow and stern. It was evident Sokka lacked a lot of the recognition and respect given to a true leader. While he did save us many times, and continued to be a part of our greater goal, I knew all he wanted was to be seen on equal footing with the older warriors, namely our father. It was a difficult goal, given the high standards Dad set, but if he could pass this test, then I felt he was one step closer.

But Bato wasn't finished yet, assigning Aang and me the tasks of helping Sokka out during this ritual. I took hold of the ropes on the main mast while Aang did the back sails. "For this to be done right, I cannot help," Bato stated, taking a seat at the front of the ship, "You pass or fail on your own." Great, now I was put into the hot seat too! Well, given how much this meant to Sokka, I was determined not to fail as well.

Before I could even get into position, the rough waters already battered our boat. It took all my lower body and leg strength just to avoid being toppled. Sokka told me to keep a steady hand on the main sails while Aang ought to ease up. I couldn't see clearly what exactly was ahead of us, but I figured that the first formation was getting closer. With all my muscles straining, I struggled to stay in position, even as cold water splashed onto my clothing and skin. And I thought polar water was cold, this was even worse!

Now the entire world around me spun furiously as the ship was slammed back and forth, threatening to throw me overboard. My head whipped in dizziness while my knees were near the point of buckling. The only feeling I still had in my body belonged in my hands, which squeezed the rope in a death grip, more out of protection than navigation. Sokka's words were nothing but slurred screams as the waves around me thundered to improbable volumes. At the rate we were going, I thought we were all going to die.

Then, as violently as that turn was, it slowed considerably. I finally had the courage to reopen my eyes to see Sokka standing at the rear with a huge smile on his face. "Great job," he congratulated us on passing the first set of rocks. With his spirits lifted, I could breathe a sigh of relief. At least we knew he passed the test, right?

Yet how wrong could I be, as Sokka insisted that we shoot through the second set of sharper, higher, and more rugged set of rocks ahead of us. I took one look at the mountains thrusting menacingly out of the waters before the boat and I knew he was losing his mind. "There's no way through!" I exclaimed, insisting that we turned back.

But Sokka was adamant about trying it, even against the advice of Bato. "Aang, I want air in that sail. And Katara, I want as much water as I can between us and those rocks," he instructed. I couldn't help but notice that Sokka seemed more confident, his tone strong and leader-like. Perhaps this bonus trick was something he could use to not just pass the Southern Water Tribe test, but his own personal one?

Nonetheless, Aang and I jumped to his orders. Burst after burst of air launched into the sails while I stretched my arms to each side of the boat, whipping at the waters below us. Before long, I felt a punch from underneath as the boat lifted higher and higher. I didn't even bother judging if there was enough room, only keeping my arms moving even as my muscles ached and my shoulders threatened to dislocate on me. Peaking from that wave, I could only let my arms drop and let the boat ride it out. We literally flew through the rocks, where I could only grip tight to the ropes to prevent being thrown out.

After the gut-wrenching ride, I managed to straighten myself from the now soaked boat. My clothes, skin, and hair all received the dousing of a lifetime, but I could tell from Sokka's expression that his experiment was a success. His face was a combo of relief, happiness, and achievement all at once. Even at the bow of the ship, Bato was on his feet, applauding us all for a job well done. "Now, the mark this coming-of-age ritual for you," he stated, "Turn the ship back for the coast."

The entire time Sokka led us back to shore, I couldn't help but beam. I admitted that in the past, even I had doubts about Sokka's maturity and leadership skills. During the time when Dad was off fighting in the war, it was Gran Gran and me who kept the village together. While Sokka was in charge of defence, he wasn't exactly proficient in keeping the village running. So hopefully, by passing this test, we could truly step forward together, and helped Aang make the world a better place to live in.

With some cultural paints, Bato proceeded to drawing ritualistic figures onto our foreheads. He gave Sokka the sign of wisdom, the same sign Dad had when he passed the test. I was given the sign of bravery, with Bato telling me that my courage inspired the whole team. Lastly, Aang was given the sign of the trusted, making him a honourary member of our tribe. Standing between Sokka and Aang, I could see Sokka had a smile on his face, directing it straight at Aang and me. This rite of passage was so important to him, and for him to go through it with us, I knew it meant everything. So from now on, with these marks, maybe we could become a new family of sorts.

But what Aang said next truly shocked me. Reaching for his forehead, he wiped off the mark Bato bestowed on him and claimed he wasn't trustworthy. I saw his entire body shrivel, his head drooping so low that we couldn't even see his eyes. He reached into his shirt and pulled out a crumpled piece of paper, claiming it was for Bato. "I was afraid you would..." he stuttered just as I unfolded the sheet.

I was about to analyze it when Sokka beat me to the punch. "This is the map to our father!" he shouted, his hand gripping the side of the sheet, shaking it so much that I nearly had my wrist torn off as a result. "You had it the whole time? How could you?" Sokka demanded. I had to admit that I was shocked too, not just because my good friend hid something from me, but also due to Sokka's reaction. Shouldn't he at least calm down and tried to figure this out first? "Well, you can go to the North Pole on your own!"

I remained frozen, not sure what to think. I knew how important Dad was to both Sokka and me, but for him to totally abandon Aang didn't seem right to me. I had to admit that we probably didn't make Aang feel comfortable during our reunion with Bato, isolating him and shutting him out while we recalled Water Tribe stories. Our overly zealous attitudes might have made Aang think we would abandon him for Dad, when really Sokka and I intended to stay all along. So while I was disappointed at Aang's actions, I felt we caused part of it. Shouldn't we at least hear Aang out?

But Sokka's mind was set, as we packed our bags and left the abbey with Bato. Aang was left all alone with Appa and Momo, looking downtrodden and worn out as he slouched on Appa's saddle. As I wished him good luck, I thought about what this meant for me, but especially Sokka. I knew Sokka really wanted to prove to everyone that he was a leader, and could battle for our tribe as well as the other men. Throughout the two years when Dad was absent, he did everything he could to act as the tribe's new leader. He might not have Dad's experience and expertise, but Sokka truly put in his full effort. So for him to see Dad again, it wasn't just for reunion sake, but also to show Dad he truly did grow up. Given that I also grew up a lot, I could see why Sokka was so excited.

Yet at the same time, I was extremely concerned with Sokka's attitude. He was completely controlled by his emotions, to the point where he lost his original goal of assisting Aang. I admitted that at the beginning, Sokka was the voice of reason guiding us back whenever we let our emotions get out of control. The most prominent case was when he saved a village from being flooded while I was overly smitten by Jet. Had he not done that, those villagers' blood would be on my hands. But now, Sokka was completely blinded by his anger towards Aang, to the point where he considered abandoning him. I felt Aang made a poor choice, but didn't we all do that at some time? I chose to trust Jet while Sokka disrespected females, and it took separate harsh lessons before we realized our mistakes. So why couldn't we be there to teach Aang rather than admonish him?

Suddenly, an animal's cry in the distance got our attention. It was long, sad, and mournful, sounding more like a wail rather than a call for battle. "This wolf has been separated from the pack," Bato explained, waving at the surrounding tress and trying to pinpoint its source, "I understand that pain. It's how I felt when the Water Tribe warriors had to leave me behind. They were my family." Bato's face was sullen, with both cheeks tightening and his lips pursed.

That was when Sokka's body jolted ever so slightly, almost like he had been bitten by a small insect. His eyebrows creased and his jaw slowly dropped, standing awkwardly in the middle of the path just as the wind changed direction. Instead of blowing in from the sea, it twirled around and blew down the hills. I couldn't quite judge his mind, but I knew what he would say when he suggested we returned to the abbey. "I want to see Dad, but helping Aang is where we're wanted the most," he decided.

We bid farewell to Bato, who gave up the map to the rendezvous point, asking us to meet both him and Dad there should we ever get the chance. As we turned back toward the abbey, I finally saw the most important factor in Sokka's growth. Not only should a leader stick with his principles, creating cohesiveness based on respect, but a leader also ought to know when the wrong choice was made, why it was wrong, and found out what to do to rectify the problem. So for Sokka to be able to put aside his emotions, including suspending our visit to Dad, and returned to help Aang, that was really important.

We barely got a few minutes onto the road before a huge beast ambushed us from behind, scaring the living daylights out of me as it hissed and flicked its tongue back and forth at us. To no one's surprise, it was led by our pursuer throughout our journey: the banished prince of the Fire Nation, Zuko. While Sokka managed to distract him for just long enough for us to make a dash for it, it wasn't quite good enough. I felt a whip-like object slash at my body, paralyzing me from that point and spreading throughout my every muscle like wildfire. I could only glance at Sokka, who was in a similar situation. With our bodies now frozen, we could only drop like rocks.

Things went from bad to worse by this point, as we were dragged involuntarily back to the abbey, with Zuko planning to use us as bait to get Aang. It also didn't help that the map to the location of our father, which was once held by Aang (meaning his scent was all over it), fell out from my belongings, giving Zuko and company a perfect method of tracking him. With Sokka and I paralyzed, I could only hope Aang either got away in time, or had enough tricks up his sleeves to defend himself.

Just then, Sokka and I were violently lurched off the beast, getting pasted onto the ground as the Fire Nation members were tossed about. The beast was on its hind legs, teetering for balance as it tried swatting something from the air. I barely lifted my head, and saw a familiar red glider. "It's Aang!" I exclaimed, trying to signal to Sokka. No fun trying to resemble a snake in the grass, I would say.

Luckily, a couple of nuns came by and dragged Sokka and I to safety, all the while Aang faced off against Zuko. Appa managed to corner that paralyzing monster, so Aang had the banished prince all to himself. Even though I recognized Aang's fighting style as mainly avoiding, trying to slide away from damaging blows while not really retaliating much, it still didn't make me feel any better. As pieces of roof fell onto us, courtesy of Aang and Zuko taking their battle to the skies, I heard Sokka claim he was getting some feeling back. "If we can move again, then we got to do something."

Suddenly, the very strong scent of perfume pierced through my nose, causing my face to squeeze tightly as the odour overwhelmed me. Through squinted eyes, I could see Sokka react in a similar way. But it was Sokka's following words that got my attention. "That thing sees with its nose, right?" he asked, referring to the animal that paralyzed us earlier, "let's give it something to look at," he suggested, pointing at the nun's perfume.

We hurried to the back and pushed all the perfume pots into the courtyard, where the animal had paralyzed Appa and was ganging up on Aang with Zuko. Even with the tense situation, I couldn't help but be proud of Sokka for thinking up of a scheme this quickly. Not only was he resourceful, he also placed his emotions in check, not hanging Aang out to dry even though Aang deceived us. Assuming we got out of this unscathed, I would convince Sokka to give Aang another chance, but I would also be sure to tell Sokka how much I appreciated his efforts. As the containers formed a semi-circle, Sokka told me to get inside the formation. They would pour the perfume onto the ground while I would bend it at the monster. Taking a deep breath, I prepared for my big move.

No sooner had I gotten into my stance did the strong scent of perfume shot into my face. I held my breath hard, my eyes watered, my face twitched, and my throat itched all at once. It was difficult not to become nauseated with the cocktail of smells blasting me at me. Aang's life depended on this, so I couldn't afford to lose concentration. Gathering the perfume into a big ball of sludge, I aimed it at the beast and shot it forward.

Everyone within that area was drenched with the perfume, making it impossible for the creature not to get that combination of scents. I nervously watched it rear onto its hind legs, tossing its rider off as it tried to regain a sense of direction. Just as Sokka had calculated, the mixture of smells made it impossible to locate itself, which pretty much rendered it blind, for a lack of a better term. Pacing around agitatedly, I could tell it was getting impatient, and was eager to leave the area. Sokka, whatever the inspiration was behind that plan, I was glad you thought up of it.

As the animal went on its rampage, Aang managed to sneak away with his staff. The creature's tongue shot out again and again, stinging and paralyzing both its owner and Zuko. With our foes clearly disabled, we figured this was the perfect time to leave. Boarding Appa, we immediately rubbed at his six legs, making sure he wasn't damaged or paralyzed from his tussle with Zuko's team. Luckily, despite taking several hits, he was in relatively good shape. Although there were doubts that he could fly at full speed or altitude, given the cuts and wounds, we should still make an escape relatively easily.

It was on board Appa that we officially forgave Aang, declaring that he was part of our family as well, and it was wrong for us to abandon him. Aang also pulled off a surprise of his own, returning my missing Water Tribe necklace, which was lost in a previous battle against Zuko that featured pirates. I leaned over and gave Aang a quick peck on the cheek, thanking him for that. Even though I was grateful for the act, and was glad we were on good terms with Aang again, he wasn't the only one I focused on.

As we flew off into the sunset, it was Sokka who crossed my mind. This newest adventure was just another way my formerly close-minded, and probably bigoted (if I was Suki), brother opened his mind and learned to accept others. Whatever doubts I still had before, regarding Sokka's leadership issues, they were completely wiped clean. In this event, Sokka not only showed calm decisive thinking, he also showed sympathy and compassion, especially towards other people's feelings. Empathy and understanding of others were key traits in leadership. If Sokka continued to act along these lines, trying to balance strategy with people skills, things would definitely be looking up for him.

________________________________________

**Yue's POV**

"Hi, Princess Yue," Sokka greeted me on this bridge spanning the canals here at the Northern Water Fortress. It was a surprise to say the least when the Avatar arrived here a couple of days ago, accompanied by two members of the Southern Water Tribe. Due to the shear geographical distance between us, the two water tribes rarely interacted, so not only was it a surprise to have two allies join us, it was even more amazing to see them with the Avatar. Given how the world lost hope for almost a century due to his absence, we hoped that Aang's presence to learn water bending from us would lead us one step further in achieving victory in this long-lasting war.

But out of the three visitors, it was Sokka that I found myself attracted to the most. For some reason, he had a sense of relaxed nonchalance that was a breath of fresh air to me. Customs ran very deep in the North Pole, and everyone, including the princess, must adhere to them fundamentally. But there was a sense of freedom in Sokka, like he didn't care that the world saw him as a clumsy doofus. Somehow, I felt more relaxed around him, even when he stuttered throughout our first dinner together. He claimed to be a prince-like figure in the Southern Water Tribe, and offered to do an activity with me.

But yet, there were parts of me that knew this wasn't right. Even when Sokka showed me his carving of a fish, which I thought was a bear, I couldn't bring myself to see him. It was going to get him in big trouble, and would threaten my entire tribe. "I made a mistake," I exclaimed, "I shouldn't have asked you to come here." With that, I turned on my heels and sped off, not even wanting to look back.

Even as I retired to my quarters, my actions ate away at me. Sokka had been to me what I wanted (but never got) from all the other males in my tribe. Since my tribe still believed in arranged marriages, I ended up being paired up with a young warrior named Hahn. Unfortunately, this guy seemed more interested in marrying a princess rather than caring for me. He barely knew anything about me, didn't spend any time understanding my needs, and talked like he was about to become ruler of the world. At least Sokka tried to understand others, which I felt was difficult given how isolated the Southern Water Tribe was. With rare contact to outsiders, for Sokka to journey here, meeting and working with countless people, it must mean he went through quite a trial, right?

Yet it was ridiculously ironic that I, a princess, was stuck in my own home, forced to go through customs that I not only didn't like, but didn't agree with. Hahn might be a warrior, but had he gone through Sokka's trials? Had he seen the world and tried placing himself in another person's shoes? Had he tried admitting his mistakes and offered others a chance to correct them? Hahn was so worried about how he would appear to others that he forgot the most important thing about being an heir: the ability to be open-minded. It wasn't necessarily the case that Sokka was overly superior in this regard, but the fact that he was willing to let his mistakes be shown, and took any criticism or even ridicule in stride, that made him a much better person. But then again, given that both my father and Hahn's family consented to the marriage, there wasn't much I could say, right?

Things went from bad to worse in the morning, when I met up with Sokka again. This time, there was an all-out war between Master Pakku, the lead water bending instructor in our tribe, and Katara, Sokka's water bending sister who insisted on learning some water bending techniques. Our tribe's custom stated that women were only allowed to use water bending to heal, not fight, hence Pakku's refusal to allow Katara to join his water bending lessons. Sokka told me that Aang, who started lessons with Pakku just yesterday, tried to teach Katara behind everyone's backs. When he was caught, Pakku threw Aang out of his class, leaving everyone angry and upset. "And now Katara insists on showing her skills with a duel," Sokka explained, eyeing the dangerous situation.

Amidst the crowd's roaring chants, I could see Katara keeping Pakku on edge for a while. That only made me feel even more guilt, as not only was I shown how poorly I handled last night's situation, I found out how brave the southern tribe really was. At least they fought to give women equal opportunity to contribute to the war, but what was I doing the whole time? Why wasn't I brave enough to join Sokka and convinced Pakku that he was wrong? Sokka might be a commoner, but he sure showed that he was more worthy than anyone here, with the support he had for his sister right now.

But the battle quickly ended when Pakku trapped Katara in a fortress of sharpened icicles. I couldn't help but feel disappointment, and saw the same in Sokka when his head drooped. Even though he tried his best not to show it, I knew deep inside he was unhappy with the results as well. As we wondered how we would free Katara from her prison, a sudden change in Pakku's attitude caught my attention. "I made this sixty years ago," he stated softly, picking up a blue water tribe necklace, presumably knocked loose from Katara during the fight, "for the love of my life."

My jaw nearly sank to the ice as Katara claimed she inherited that necklace from her grandmother Kanna. Pakku nearly sank through the ice as he described Kanna was his fiancée from sixty years back. Pakku claimed he truly loved her, carving that for her in hopes of having a long, happy life together. "But she didn't love you, did she?" Katara retorted, breaking free of the ice, "It was an arranged marriage. Gran Gran wouldn't let your tribe's stupid customs run her life. That's why she left."

That was the end of the line for me, as I was too washed up in shame to continue anymore. To me, I was in a similar situation, forced to marry someone that I didn't love. It was also too confusing for me, because Sokka's arrival made it impossible for me to not admit that I loved him. I wasn't sure if this was Sokka's first love, but if this was the way to go, then perhaps both of us might have to leave the North Pole heartbroken. As I raced off, returning back to the very bridge where I met Sokka last night, I was at a total loss. Why couldn't it be Sokka that my father chose?

The shuffling of snow boots behind me caught my attention. Without even turning around, I knew who it was. "What do you want from me?" I demanded. My mind was very flustered already, and the last thing I wanted was Sokka to say anymore to me. He was everything I wanted, but couldn't have, and it pained me to treat him like dirt.  
But Sokka was more understanding than ever, believing that we weren't meant to be due to our statuses. "You're a princess, and I'm just a southern peasant. It's okay, you don't have to say anything. I'll see you around, okay?" he responded, using that same relaxed tone that made me attracted to him. The more I heard it, the more painful it would be for us both should I reveal the truth to him. Why must things be so difficult?

Plucking up all my courage, I leaned in and sank my lips into his, enjoying every second of this kiss, which most likely would be our last. "I do like you a lot, but we can't be together, and not for the reason you think," I informed him just as our mouths parted. Taking a deep breath, I lowered the collar of my parka to show him my own betrothal necklace, "It's because I'm engaged." I told him before guilt consumed me.

There was no describing the look on Sokka's face, as disappointment, shock, and surprise all blasted through at once. I knew an individual as kind as Sokka didn't deserve this treatment, and I knew I would regret this for the rest of my life. But if I didn't tell him now, I would do an injustice to my tribe. As a princess, I still had duties to my people, even if their happiness might be at the expense of Sokka. But whatever would happen next, I knew deep down that I was the biggest loser of the day.

________________________________________

**Sokka's POV**

"The spirits are in trouble!" Aang declared just as I cut him free of the ropes. We had been at the Northern Water Tribe for several days now, with Aang and Katara both now part of Master Pakku's water bending class. Princess Yue and I were also seeing each other (albeit only as friends) and enjoying the sights. Yesterday, I took her on a ride on Appa, leading her into the skies and letting her enjoy the scene. Even though she was an heir, she had quite a restricted lifestyle, so hopefully that opened her eyes a bit.

But it was at that time that we saw a huge fleet of Fire Nation ships sailing full steam at us, leading us to believe that they were about to invade. Yue, because of her status as princess, was forced to be at her father's side, even though I made it clear that I wouldn't pursue anything romantic with her. Either way, I volunteered myself to be one of the defenders of the fortress, receiving the chief's blessing marks on my forehead. I failed to defend my tribe when the Fire Nation invaded, so hopefully better luck here.

Even when I joined the defence team, things weren't exactly going well. I met Hahn, Yue's fiancé, for the first time, and I could honestly say there wasn't a single person in the entire universe more shallow and arrogant than him. Throughout the entire time, he talked about Yue like some sort of medallion, claiming that marrying her was for the perks of being a leader rather than for love. I couldn't take it anymore, and ended up getting into an unofficial wrestling match with him. That got me expelled from the team, and left me in a very sour mood. I might be, in his eyes, an uneducated and uncivilized southern peasant, but at least I didn't treat women like tools!

"Wait, we can't just leave him here," Aang pointed out at the now unconscious Zuko, who was knocked out by my sister. While I was thrown out of the defence team, Aang was being overwhelmed by the Fire Nation navy, to the point where he had to seek the spirits for advice. The chief, on the other hand, made me Yue's guardian during the war, just to keep her safe. Given the opportunity to truly play a role in this, I jumped at the chance. But what I didn't notice was that Zuko chose this time to invade the oasis where Aang was meditating, taking his paralyzed body while outdueling Katara with the advantage of the sun. Luckily, it was night, meaning water benders had the advantage. Take that, Zuko! How could you fire bend now with your body encased in ice?

But even as our enemy, Aang refused to leave Zuko behind, claiming that Zuko would freeze to death. So as our friend proceeded to drag the Fire Nation prince onto Appa, I could only wonder what to do next. Somehow, my instinct told me that things weren't about to get any better. As we took off into the night, racing back to the oasis, I could see the moon turn red. Yue was getting nauseous, and constantly leaned over to me for support. "I feel faint," she uttered, clutching the sides of her head.

I could only look on as Yue explained how she had parts of the Moon Spirit inside her, mainly due to the fact that she nearly died during her birth. Had it not been for the Moon Spirit giving her some of its life source, she certainly wouldn't be alive today. It made me truly realize why Yue was doing everything for her tribe, even at the expense of her own wellbeing and happiness. She wasn't just being a responsible person and serving her tribe; rather, she was using her current life to repay the spirits for their actions. This alone made my whole view of the role of women change completely. I used to feel women served men, staying home to mend stuff while we battled. But here, to see the tribe princess taking on that much responsibility, knowing full well that one day she might leave the world, who was I to say that girls weren't worthy? With how much Yue shouldered right now, I was the one who didn't deserve to be here!

By the time we returned to the oasis, we saw the face of the enemy. It was the same Fire Nation admiral who had been tracking us with Zuko the entire time. The fiery temper, the melodramatic speeches, and the ridiculously large sideburns, all pointed to one man: Zhao. Pulling out our weapons, Zhao countered by lifting a bag. "Don't bother," he sneered, raising a fist at the squirming parcel.

We all froze, not knowing what to do. Aang tried reasoning with Zhao, explaining that destroying the moon would harm everyone. Heck, even a Fire Nation general, whom I recognized as Iroh, the one always accompanying Zuko, told Zhao to back off. I didn't see the need to negotiate with this guy. But with the spirit in his hands, it would be a disaster if we tried to pound his lights out now. Oh, where was a witty and clever solution when one was required? Maybe the fish could squirm out and bite Zhao!

For a second, things calmed down, as Zhao placed the bag back into the water and let the fish swim out. I felt all my muscles tense up as the two spirits swam back to their pond, turning the moon back to its usual colour. But I barely eased my breath out my lungs when a sudden burst of orange ignited the pond. Shielding my face, I could see Zhao let a fire blade loose, slicing across the water, and presumably where the fish was. Zhao, you murderer! If I got my hands on you, you would not get away with this!

To no one's surprise, the coward fled the scene, leaving the Fire Nation general to take on his troops while we surveyed the pond. Indeed, there was a dead fish, Tui, lying still in the water, with only its companion La circling it body. For some reason, I felt like my body became a boulder, becoming increasingly difficult to move and sinking to the ground with every step. The moon's darkness, coupled by the lack of any wind, even those it was the North Pole and it was winter, made things that much more eerie. I had never really been spiritual, but now I truly recognized the spirits' true power.

Then, as abruptly as the place went dark, it was bright again. Aang's arrows all glowed at once as he entered the pond, coming in contact with La, the Ocean Spirit. The two amalgamated into one and flowed like water out of the oasis, through the canals of the North Pole, and into the ocean, where it took the form of a fish-faced humanoid. It's Koizilla, I thought in shock and fear.

As Koizilla went on its rampage outside, our thoughts returned to the dead fish before us, wondering what to do next. My lips pursed tightly as I witnessed firsthand the devastation caused by this war. A culture was about to be destroyed, and in turn angering spirits that unleashed an unbelievable amount of power. Was the world really going to be thrown out of balance? How could we possibly move forward like this? Fire Nation, Water Tribe, did it matter anymore, given how close we all were to death?

Suddenly, Iroh noticed Yue's physical appearance was different than ours, with her white hair and pale eyes. He correctly identified that as the spirits having touched her before. "Yes, you're right," Yue admitted, "It gave me life, so maybe I can give it back." With that, she reached into the pond to grab Tui.

"No, you don't have to do that!" I shouted, grabbing Yue's hand before she could touch the fish. I made a promise to Yue's father that I would look out for her, so I could not just sit passively and watched her sacrifice herself. Besides, Yue meant too much to me, as we truly bonded with each other. She, along with Suki, taught me how women could be warriors as well, and that we all had a role to play in this war, no matter how big or small. "I won't let you," I insisted, gripping that hand harder.

But Yue somehow slid her hand free, stepping up to Iroh, who now had Tui's lifeless body in his hands. "I have to do this," she stated softly but authoritatively. I could only watch helplessly, my mind telling me to stop her but my body paralyzed in place. Yue placed her hands on the fish and, a bright glow later, the gift of life was exchanged. As Iroh placed the fish back into the pond, Yue fell to the ground, stone-cold dead.

I clutched her body tight, wrapping her in my arms. "She's gone, she's gone," I could only stutter, too shocked to say anything more. A million thoughts raced through my head as I tried to figure out what happened. Was it my fault that Yue was gone? Was there anything I could have done to change her mind? Maybe earlier, before Zuko got Aang, I could have done something to avoid that issue altogether. How about staying here the whole time, and guarding the fish from Zhao? Would that change anything?

My thoughts were shattered as Yue's body disappeared, her spirit sinking into the pond before reappearing before me. Floating in the air was the most beautiful woman I had ever seen. She had all of Yue's beauty, and now all of the Moon Spirit's power. With so much responsibility to bear, maybe it was only right that by being the moon, Yue was truly free. "Goodbye, Sokka," she stated in a clear, echoing voice, "I will always be with you." As she concluded that sentence, she planted her lips firmly onto mine.

As if instinct took over, I could only return the gesture, not even thinking about how it was taboo a few days ago. Yue wasn't just a princess anymore, she was now the spirit of the moon. Even though she was no longer with me physically, she was now with us all spiritually. As I felt our lips part, seeing Yue floating away, I did everything to hold in my tears.

The world around me blurred as I focused on the spirit flying away, my eyes never leaving the apparition as it became part of the night sky. When it passed over the shadowed moon, the round object relit itself, bringing light back into these dark times. Nobody did more to change my views on the world than Yue, and nobody did more to protect her tribe than Yue, so that was a sign that I now must do my part.

The rest of the night was peaceful, to say the least. The return of the moon meant Koizilla need not continue its rampage. Splitting back into La the Ocean Spirit and Aang the Avatar, they had the Fire Nation navy in official retreat, allowing the Northern Water Tribe to stave off the scary siege. Even though parts of the huge ice fortress were in total ruin, I knew the water benders here would be quick to rebuild. We water benders were people who could adapt to any environment or change, and within a few months, this place should be back to running at normal pace. But for me, there was a bigger task at hand, and that was to inform the chief, Yue's father, that his daughter would no longer be a part of the tribe. As I recalled the events to Arnook, I could only imagine what he was thinking about. "I knew this day would come," Arnook told me, explaining how the two spirits gave him a vision that Yue would one day become the moon.

I swallowed hard, realizing that Arnook and I felt the same way. It was obvious that Yue touched us both, and now we both had to give back to the world. "You must be very proud," I replied softly. Arnook explained that he planned to rebuild his own tribe, but also spoke with Pakku, who decided to journey to the South Pole to rebuild my tribe. That way, both water tribes were reborn, and there would be less disparity between us.

But for me, the goal was even bigger than that. Not only was there a culture to save, there was a world to reunite. Aang might have started water bending just now, but there was still earth and fire to consider. We had a whole new place to explore in the Earth Kingdom, with whole new challenges meeting us. I promised myself that I would be a good warrior, and made my tribe and father proud. If helping Aang stop the war was the way to do it, then I was more than willing to play my part. Besides, with so many new environments in the Earth Kingdom, it was bound to be a place to try out new gadgets and ideas. What more fun could a guy have than that?


	20. Sokka, Part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Each character grows up with a set of experiences unique to themselves. Watch each person describe what went through their minds and how they changed as they reacted to the world. These are their stories, these are their rites of passage.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: Michael DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko own Avatar.

**Sokka's POV**

"What do you guys think you're doing? I've been looking all over for you!" I shouted at Aang and Katara on the top of my lungs. A few weeks had passed since we left the North Pole, after that scary Fire Nation siege. We started our journey back into the Earth Kingdom, but hit a couple of snags recently. It seemed like either the earth benders didn't really want to help us, or helped us the wrong way. From a general who wanted to force Aang to master the Avatar State, to a bunch of clueless hippies who felt singing their way through a cave-in was adequate, to Aang's old friend King Bumi who wanted to stay as a prisoner at Omashu rather than escape, nobody truly wanted to see things our way. How would Aang ever learn earth bending this way?

But the universe loved to make life miserable for me, as Appa flew into a tornado over this really spooky swamp. While I stayed with Aang and Katara, Appa and Momo were blasted away from us, leaving us to hack our way out of this. Aang had to be oh-so-sensitive to the swamp, claiming it didn't want me to hurt the living things. Come on, they were just branches and roots! What harm could it do? Besides, we were trapped here indefinitely, so unless we wanted to drink smelly swamp water forever, it was best we got out quickly. So what if a few plants here and there ended up being sacrificed?

"Well, I've been wandering all around looking for you!" Katara retorted, trying to dust herself off. We spent a crazy night in the swamp with a few burning timbers as our only source of light. I didn't believe that we were being watched, until a firefly got too close to us and blasted us with its light, revealing countless pairs of eyes glaring at us in the darkness. That was followed by a series of vines grabbing at us, leading to that mad romp through the bog in which we all got lost. Real smooth, right?

But Aang was the one who made the strangest remark, claiming he was chasing a girl. "I heard laughing and saw this little girl in a fancy dress," he described, his eyes tilting back and forth while rubbing the back of his head. Wow, I heard of the Avatar going into the Spirit World for advice, but now Aang had the power to summon girls from nowhere? Maybe he ought to summon a big plate of meat for me to eat!

Yet Katara's statements coincided perfectly with Aang's, as she believed she saw our mother in the swamp. Suddenly, my heart was heavier than a rock as it sank to my feet. So perhaps what I saw was also true? "I thought I saw Yue," I quietly told them, not really wanting to reveal anymore. Yue's message to me was clear, as she told me I didn't protect her. To date, it was the biggest personal loss I ever envisioned since the death of my mother. Must I be reminded of that event right now, when we're lost and confused?

Shaking my head, I figured that there was a logical explanation for all this. We were hungry and tired, so it was natural that our minds played tricks on us. Yue meant a lot to me, just how Mom meant a lot to Katara, so that was why we saw them, right? And now, our visions brought us all here, in what I guessed was the centre of the swamp. "It's been calling us here, I knew it," Aang insisted, a wide grin on his face.

"It's just a tree," I pointed out, not sure why Aang was even going this route. I knew he was the link to the Spirit World, and that he had supernatural powers, but this notion of a sloppy, muddy, disgusting sinkhole calling to Aang was ridiculous beyond belief. "There is nothing after us, and there is nothing magical happening here."

I soon found myself eating my words as this massive blob of vines, mud, and other nasty swampy stuff reared up from the roots and roared at us. Before long, I was wrapped up in its vines and being taken for a ride, my body slammed against an indescribable number of objects. Hey, I was a Southern Water Tribe warrior, not a juggler, so why was I the one chosen to be juggled here? As the surroundings whipped past me at record speeds, I felt myself losing consciousness by the second.

The ride came to an abrupt end, dropping me face-first into the water as the vines somehow snapped off. The cold water managed to shock my body back into reality, and gave me enough time to hack away at the vines near me. The sooner I got away from this thing, the better. I wasn't exactly a vegetable eater, so why was this vegetable trying to eat me? Just as I got free, I looked up at the monster, and the most shocking thing just occurred. The vines that were sliced off somehow brought themselves back together, and the monster returned its sights on me. "Oh no," I muttered.

This time, I was kidnapped by the mountain of plants, speeding across the swamp and presumably away from Aang and Katara. My arms and legs were literally flailing in the air, making it near impossible for me to get any shots at this guy. Don't tell me I was about to lose to this ball of vines, because I would rather lose another fight to Zuko than be humiliated by something that supposedly couldn't even move!

By now, I knew Aang and Katara were very desperate. Even though they were knocked back several times already, I could tell they were close to breaking through. Instantly, I felt a whirlwind blast through from the top, the vines loosening up just in time for me to see Katara standing before me. Before long, I felt a chill around my body, my arms and legs encased in ice, courtesy of Katara's icy breath. With a couple of water slices, I was knocked free and away from that monster's grasp.

When I got back up, I could see Katara water bending furiously at the vines, with some success at keeping the monster at bay. If she was cutting faster than it could put the vines back together, that meant we had a chance. I squinted hard, trying to spot its weak point when I saw something peculiar: there was a person inside the monster controlling its every move. "He's bending the vines!" I called to Katara.

It was sheer mayhem as Katara and Aang attacked together, the combination of water and air slashing and slamming the beast all at once. By the time the final move was made, the enemy was no longer moving. "Why did you call me here if you just wanted to kill us?" Aang demanded, still in his fighter stance.

By the time the vines dropped, we could see a squat, heavyset, middle-aged man with a beard and a strange hat. Save for a loincloth made of plant materials, he wore no extra clothing. After Aang introduced himself as the Avatar, the man insisted on bringing us back to the centre of the swamp, claiming he had something to show us. Great, more talks about overgrown plants. How exciting could this get?

We found ourselves back at that large tree in the centre, but this time, we were asked to climb it. Our host, who identified himself as Huu, claimed that he had been here in the swamp for years, meditating under this big tree to find enlightenment. "See? Completely reasonable," I stated, brushing off any wild talk about spiritual calling, "He's not a monster, just a regular guy defending his home. Nothing mystical about it!"

Taking a seat under the tree, Huu explained what he discovered during meditation here. "This whole swamp is just one tree spread out over miles," he described, "It is one big living organism, just like the entire world." Huu asked us to think about if there were true differences between individuals. "You think you're any different from me, or your friends, or this tree? If you listen hard enough, you can hear every living thing breathing together. You can feel everything growing. We're all living together, even if most folks don't act like it. We all have the same roots, and we are all branches of the same tree."

Huu then addressed the notion of visions, as raised by Katara. Why did people we cared about appear to us in the swamp? "The swamp tells us they're not gone. They're still connected to us," Huu described, "Time is an illusion, and so is death." Huu even gave Aang a hint for his vision, stating that if time was an illusion, then not only did that apply for the past, but also for the future. That meant the girl Aang saw, whoever she might be, was someone we were about to meet.

During the whole time, I found myself listening to this carefully. Even though I wasn't really a spiritual person, I found this intriguing. Given that Huu spoke of some type of common humanity, did that mean all people could be brought together? I knew the Fire Nation was waging this all-out war, but that meant when we defeated them, it was a chance for us to reach out to them. How would the world feel about that, given all the pain and destruction they caused? I knew I still had reservations about reaching out to the enemy, but what if what Huu said was true, and we were meant to bond?

But on the other hand, this might be the only solution. Even if we defeated the Fire Nation, peace was tenuous at best. With so much mistrust and hatred between us and them, the only way that way could achieve peace was to understand each other, and that meant communicating with each other. I admitted that I was violently torn out of my shell during my journey, forcing to change my views on fighting, women, and morals, often all at once. It wasn't easy, and even today I had trouble adjusting as I went along with Aang.

But if a southern peasant like me could make a change, then so should the rest of the world. Today's battle just showed I could be beaten by something I totally thought was inferior, so maybe having me open my mind up faster than some so-called noble was a possibility. Think of the stories I could tell when I was the enlightened one, lecturing to those snobby aristocrats on the ways of the world. I liked that a lot!

________________________________________

**Sokka's POV**

"Whoever took Aang and Toph left this," I stated, pulling out the sword sticking out from the ground. Aang's vision in the swamp somehow came true as we arrived at this Earth Kingdom town. After scouring the place looking for an earth bender to teach Aang, we ended up going to an underground earth bending tournament. It was my kind of brainless entertainment as I saw hulking guys throw boulders at each other. I even picked my favourite competitor too, in a guy named The Boulder. And watching them go at it with nothing but pure rocks was an absolute blast!

But Aang had other ideas, as he ended up picking the champion, a petite girl calling herself The Blind Bandit. Originally, Katara and I both thought it was just a moniker, but believe it or not, she was actually blind. And she absolutely rocked the arena, even knocking out The Boulder! At first I wasn't too happy with this little girl defeating my favourite combatant, but that all changed when I heard out her story. Her name was Toph, the daughter of a nobleman named Lao Bei Fong who concealed her from the public because he felt the world was too dangerous for his supposedly disabled daughter. Was this guy's head so far up in the sky, covered by hubris clouds that he couldn't realize his daughter was perfectly capable of handling herself?

Yet it was the sheer irony of being a rich girl that made Toph so vulnerable, as the Earth Rumble tournament organizer and frequent combatants kidnapped and held Toph and Aang for ransom. As Katara read the note, I read over her shoulder. "It's signed Xin Fu and The Boulder," she informed the Bei Fong parents, who looked on in worry.  
Suddenly, I couldn't help myself. No longer resisting my urge, I snatched the letter out of Katara's hand and yelled in glee. "I got The Boulder's autograph," I shouted, waving the sheet in the air. Hey, was there anything wrong with showing appreciation for a little something that most fans would be dying to get their hands on?

A sharp slap to the back of my head jolted me back to reality. Staring up, I saw the hard fume on Katara's face as she unleashed the tongue lashing of a lifetime on me. "Your so-called idol is the one kidnapping a blind girl and the Avatar. If the happiness of the Bei Fong family and the balance of the world were ruined because of your bone-headed move, then you will be responsible for each and every single consequence that comes our way!" she berated. Rubbing the back of my head, I could only think to myself: what was sharper, Katara's icicles from water bending, or Katara's tongue?

Luckily, I didn't have to dwell on that topic anymore. Lao Bei Fong offered to give up the demanded sum immediately in exchange for his daughter's safety. Master Yu, the earth bending teacher that Aang first approached but was quickly turned off by due to his emphasis on money grabbing rather than technique mastery, was asked to come along to monitor the transition, in case the Earth Rumble folks tried anything funny. Trying to get serious, I decided that perhaps Katara and I went with them too. After all, with Aang involved, there was no way we could sit on the sidelines and watched. With the father's permission, we re-entered the same underground tunnel leading to the arena.

The stadium seemed totally different than it used to be when we saw the earth bending tournament. Instead of rowdy and exciting, the empty rows merely isolated us, almost like we weren't welcome here. Before us were two large iron cages, hoisted high into the air, so that no escape was possible. Yelling at Xin Fu, we dropped the bag of money to the ground, where Master Yu sent it towards the Earth Rumble fighters with a low earthen kick. "Here's your money, now let them go!" I called.

But to my surprise, only Toph's cage was lowered to the ground. The girl with misty eyes still clad in her nightgown raced to her father, but we could only stare in shock at Xin Fu and the fighters. This time, they unfurled a full body sketch of Aang and his staff, with the Fire Nation insignia all over it. "I think the Fire Nation will pay a hefty price for the Avatar," Xin Fu sneered, "Now get out of my ring!"

My face froze as I saw the lowlife beings that the Earth Rumble fighters were. Even my favourite fighter, The Boulder, chose to join their side as they exited the ring with Aang's metal cage on their shoulders. And to think I respected these guys, now what respect were they showing us by doing that? Even if we discounted the kidnapping, at least honour their end of the deal by releasing them both! Claiming that Aang would be handed over to the Fire Lord was never in the agreement. Given that the Fire Lord had the Earth Kingdom in his sights, handing Aang over to him would eliminate the last line of defence. Didn't these jerks care about their homeland at all?

But looking around the rink, I realized that water bending would be put at a huge disadvantage, given the rocky and sandy ground. With Master Yu a spineless chicken at best, there was only one person to turn to. Nodding to Katara, we raced back to the tunnel where we came in from, only seeing the silhouettes of Toph, her father, and Master Yu. "Toph, there's too many of them," Katara called to her, "We need you!"

To no one's surprise, Lao Bei Fong went on a rant about how it was irresponsible for us to demand Toph for help, given she was "blind, tiny, helpless, and fragile." I could feel my teeth grit as this bombastic, arrogant man hurled each word at us like knives, but also aiming them at Toph. Not only was he rejecting our offer to save the world, he was in turn hurting his own daughter. Even though I wasn't the most competent warrior in the world, at least my dad never threw putdowns at me. Who did this guy think he was?

Just as we were losing hope, Toph flung her father's hand away. Marching back in our direction, she told us she was willing to help. I sighed in relief in that we at least had a helping hand, but my worry didn't fade completely when I weighed the odds. While Toph did win the tournament, it was mainly a one-on-one match. This time, she had to fight all of them at once. Could she handle it? Swallowing hard, I followed her into the ring.

Toph stomped the ground hard, creating a huge rocky barrier and blocking the fighters' path. "Let him go," she yelled, pointing at the earth benders, "I beat you all before and I'll do it again!" I could only look at the girl beside me, biting my lower lip nervously. Somehow, there was a chance that this could end badly.

Apparently, I was only half right. Things did end badly alright, but it was for the Earth Rumble fighters. Each individual attacked Toph with their own unique style of earth bending, only to have Toph deflect them away. No matter how fast the blows, how large the rocks, or how sneaky the attacks, Toph sent each fighter out of the arena like yesterday's garbage. I was so busy admiring Toph piling the bodies up that only another smack from Katara made me realize that we still had to free Aang. Even as we worked on the metal cage, I kept sneaking looks back at Toph. Apparently, even my favourite fighter, The Boulder, was eliminated, leaving her with Xin Fu.

The tournament organizer went on the offensive, sending a series of boulders, some of which larger than Toph's whole body, at the blind one. But even with my nerves all jittery and my teeth clacking, Toph didn't back down one bit, creating an earth tent and letting the rocks slide past her. As the battering continued, I could only grab hold of Aang, who we freed from the cage, and hoped that he had something to save us with should Toph fail. I mean, the Avatar was bound to have some crazy powers, right?

But Toph surprised us all when she used the momentum from her earthen tent and sent a slice of that at Xin Fu, who somersaulted around and landed with one arm in the sand. Was Xin Fu about to try an underground technique on Toph? I fretted with worry, glancing over at Aang, who seemed surprisingly calm. "This is it," he whispered to me, "With Xin Fu's position right now, Toph pretty much won this battle."

I watched Toph's feet plant themselves even further into the ground, her calf muscles tightening ever so slightly just as Xin Fu prepared to unleash the attack. My lips pursed and my teeth clenched as Toph lunged forward at the exact same time Xin Fu's attack arrived, slamming her hands into the sand. This time, her rumble was so loud and violent that we could feel the tremors even when we stood behind her. Struggling to maintain balance, I could only see a huge puff of smoke blast upward from where Xin Fu used to stand, with the Earth Rumble master nowhere in sight.

Aang tapped my shoulder, pointing into the seats. Indeed, there was Xin Fu, with little consciousness left, sprawling at the seats a few rows up from the ring. Master Yu and Toph's father sat beside him, completely shocked as Toph truly knocked them all out. Suddenly, my head felt light, and my limbs weak. Whoops, there went the daylight as I joined Xin Fu in unconsciousness. Even without using a physical move, Toph got me fainting. Was she something else or what?

Unfortunately, her father felt opposite. When we returned to their mansion, Toph revealed the truth to her family, claiming that it was her role in life now. While she hoped her family would understand and wouldn't judge her harshly, her father did exactly that. Insisting that this was the result of giving Toph too much freedom, he ordered that the guards kept Toph indoors and supervised every single day! And to add salt onto the wound, Lao Bei Fong instructed the guards to throw us out, smugly pointing out that it was the Avatar's group that was being a bad influence on Toph, and that we were no longer welcome guests. I nearly wanted to impale my bladed club into his face. After what his daughter did and what she could potentially contribute to saving the world, how could this selfish man do this? Not only was he jeopardizing the world, he was making his relationship with his daughter even more torn! What would it take for him to realize the truth? Perhaps Toph should send one of her rocks straight at this arrogant guy's face!

As we stepped away from the town, letting ourselves be engulfed by the night, I thought about what all this meant. Certainly, in my first true journey away from home, I had seen my fair share of things that changed my views. This is particularly true on my views of women, as it felt like all the strong people around me now were females. It was a no-brainer how far Katara progressed, but Suki's warrior skills and Yue's sacrifice to save the world really cemented that into my mind. So for Toph, a girl younger than us all, to do all those amazing things, it truly humbled me.

And it was with Toph that not only did I realize how wrong I was, but how wrong the world was. Things were never about entitlement, and just because one was the most skilled warrior in one's town or village didn't mean one could bark orders around. Just like how I learned to be more patient and tolerant, so should Toph's father. He might be the richest man in this region, but could he say he had anything except material wealth? He treated his daughter like a prisoner, and it was all due to a reason out of anyone's full control: blindness. Toph might be different, but did that mean her chances were to be limited as well? This man was lucky to have her born alive, as Yue nearly almost didn't make it had it not been the Moon Spirit. Why couldn't he appreciate Toph for who she was and what she did? If we ever saved the world, I really hoped he wouldn't start going around bragging that he hosted the Avatar, although it wouldn't be surprising if he did.

Suddenly, a voice called from the distance, making us turn back to the town's direction. I had to rub my eyes extra hard just to see what was going on. Toph was racing up the hill, coming straight for us. Claiming her father changed his mind, she now wanted to join our group, excited about the opportunity to see the world and teach earth bending to Aang, after some payback for Aang blowing her off the arena first. I chuckled at her retaliation, but was also happy with Toph's choice. Even with her nonchalant tone, I could tell she was lying when she told us her parents agreed to let her out. But still, for a rich girl, she could have easily stayed inside her mansion and be pampered. For her to give up all that for freedom, both present and future, it was a big sacrifice.

And it was because of this fact that I suggested we left as soon as possible. Given the wealth owned by the Bei Fong family, it wouldn't take much for them to assemble a search team to scour the Earth Kingdom for Toph. "Let's get moving before your father changes his mind again," I insisted, climbing onto Appa. From that moment on, I knew we just added a whole new dynamic into our group. For better or for worse, my world just became that much wider, and I became that much more open.

________________________________________

**Suki's POV**

"I know you're just trying to help, but I can take care of myself." I insisted to Sokka as we sat underneath a rock arch. I never would have thought the Avatar's group reunited with me under these circumstances. Their actions really inspired my team to tackle more responsibilities in the war, and that was why I was at the Full Moon Bay ferry terminal, escorting refugees onto the ferries for Ba Sing Se, the only safe haven in the Earth Kingdom. I must admit that Sokka was on my mind as I laboured through that mission, thinking about what my favourite Water Tribe warrior could be up to.

But it was a different Sokka that I saw today, as he was very overbearing, to the point where he wasn't even willing to let me do anything by myself. He panicked nonstop when the Fire Nation patrol ships spotted us, running around almost aimlessly when a rock slide occurred as a result of the ship's blast. Even when the newest member of their team, a blind earth bender named Toph, saved us, he didn't even notice it. Frankly, this was not the Sokka I first met, brash but knowledgeable, excited but goofy attitude. And if I didn't figure out what went wrong here, I didn't think I could last another second. "So why are you acting so overprotective?" I demanded, trying to get to the bottom of this.

I watched on intently as Sokka tilted his head upward, letting the full beam of the moon shine onto his face. His eyebrows furrowed, his cheeks drooped, and his lips were sagging in defeat as he pondered my question. With the way the shadows fell onto his face, I could have sworn Sokka became at least a decade older. "It's so hard to lose someone you care about," he began, his voice cracking and his tone dampened. His eyes never left the moon as he stated, "Something happened at the North Pole, and I couldn't protect someone. I don't want anything like that to happen ever again."

I pursed my lips, not knowing what to think. I wasn't around his group when they went to the North Pole, so I couldn't really judge. But seeing how Sokka couldn't even turn to look at me, I knew it must be something drastic, perhaps even someone he deeply cared for. Given the Southern Water Tribe was even more isolated from the rest of the world as Kyoshi Island, I knew it was very difficult for Sokka to truly bond with people. And for him speak that longingly on that, I realized he was still in some pain.

But still, the perfect medicine for Sokka right now was someone who could truly sympathize with his needs. I didn't know if I was the best choice, but I was in a similar situation as him. Just like Sokka, I was from a very isolated area of the world, and rarely did we get any visitors. It was also my first time visiting the outside world, meaning my eyes were being opened for the first time. What's more, I was also longing for someone I truly cared about who I hadn't seen in a long time. Perhaps now was the right time to engage Sokka, and hopefully get some of those demons inside him out into the open?

Taking a deep breath, I turned back to Sokka, who still had his head drooped over. "I lost someone I cared about. He didn't die, he just went away," I described, listing off all the traits this person had. It got to the point where I finally riled up Sokka, who shot up from his seat, demanding who this mysterious person was.

I couldn't stop laughing as I revealed the identity of said person. "It is you, stupid!" I declared. After all that moping, Sokka really seemed like he was back to his original self. Maybe this was a good time to see him let go of his past and moving onto a new stage in his life? Almost instinctively, I leaned in, my eyes starting to close as our lips edged closer together. Hopefully, he was ready for this as well.

But the kiss never panned out, as Sokka suddenly pulled back. "I can't," he muttered, before scurrying away. It left me standing there, confused by the rejection but also somewhat guilty of pushing Sokka so much. With the moon now blazing its light onto me, I felt like even it didn't want me to make that move.

For the rest of the next day, I remained silent, hoping not to upset Sokka anymore than I did last night. For me, whatever doubt I had regarding Sokka's past ways were out of my mind, based on what I saw. This Sokka was much more sensitive, and took on way more responsibility than before. His now battle-scarred emotional state showed he had been through much hardship, with no end in sight for his journey. Who knew what other troubles awaited him in Ba Sing Se? Could he convince the earth benders there to side with him against the Fire Nation? Could he prevent the Fire Nation from fully penetrating that city's walls? What about getting Aang the training required for all four elements to challenge the Fire Lord once and for all? All these questions weighed heavily on my mind, and I knew, deep inside, Sokka was probably thinking the same.

A series of violent splashes got my attention, as a large creature similar in size and appearance to the Unagi from Kyoshi Island caught my eye. It was then that I met the namesake of the Serpent's Pass as it hissed furiously at us, spraying water all over the small plot of an island we were standing on right now. Considering that on our way here, Aang's group was also escorting a man and his pregnant wife, meaning things became that much more dangerous. "Get everyone across," Aang ordered, flipping his staff into a glider and going after the serpent. With Katara freezing the ice before us, creating a footbridge to get to the other side, we hurried our way across.

But our progress hit a snag when Toph, the blind earth bender, struggled her way across. From what she told me, she could only "see" via earth bending, meaning a path of ice was not acceptable for her. As she inched along, with only Sokka's voice to guide her, I could only tilt my eyes back and forth. Sokka was a bust of concentration, not budging at all from his position at the edge of the ice. Recalling how he failed to protect someone her cared about at the North Pole, I could see why he was so intent on getting Toph across safely. "You're almost there!" Sokka yelled, urging Toph forward.

Then, as luck would have it, the serpent's tail slashed across the icy bridge, shattering it to bits and sending the helpless Toph into the water. As she struggled to stay afloat, I immediately leaped in. Living near the bay with a large sea monster, I was used to rescuing people who might be in trouble, even though we discouraged anyone from using that area unless it was absolutely necessary. But for Toph's case, not only was I doing this for rescuing someone in need, but also for Sokka. He cared too much for those around him to lose another loved one, and I cared too much for him to stand idly and watched it happen. If I could do something to help out this group, then I certainly would, and that was why I was submerged into the cold liquid, yanking on Toph's limbs.

As I dragged Toph back to the surface, the usually tough girl did the unthinkable by leaning in and kissing my cheek, thinking I was Sokka. I had to put her through some embarrassment by revealing my identity, to which Toph replied that I should just let her drown. With the earth bender securely fastened around me, I pulled her to shore. I barely caught Sokka's expression, but the sigh of relief plus how carefully he checked over Toph for any injuries said everything. After the North Pole incident, I knew Sokka was not about to let another person be hurt in his presence ever again.

As Aang and Katara returned after subduing the serpent, giving us a clear path straight to Ba Sing Se, things hit another snag. Just as we got off the Serpent's Pass, the pregnant woman, Ying, entered labour. With nothing around us to deliver a baby, it was up to Katara's quick thinking and creativity that coordinated the moves. Having Toph make a rock tent over Ying and her family, Katara and I watched over Ying as we got ready for the birth. "Now get ready to push," Katara counted, "One, two, three!"

As the infant met daylight for the first time, Katara handed the baby girl to me while she took care of Ying. As I called out of the tent, announcing the baby's gender, I realized how important this birth was. Sokka was definitely going through a rebirth, with a new set of ideas and views on the world. Perhaps, if he truly witnessed this event, it could show him that even in hopeless situations, miracles could always happen.

But I soon got the laugh of a lifetime when Toph pointed to the lifeless body at my feet. It was Sokka, who Toph reported as being so overwhelmed by the birth that he fainted on the spot. Even though it was a new Sokka that we were seeing, there was still some of that old Sokka, with his goofiness and ability to turn some small mishap into all-out craziness. "Care to use the cold, wet towels on Sokka?" I offered Toph.

By the time everyone was reenergized, it was time to say goodbye. I pulled Sokka aside, hoping to clarify what was going on. Perhaps I was the one who got too antsy, and ended up creating a negative impression on Sokka. After telling him that I came along because I wanted to escort them through the pass safely, I made my apology. "Listen, I'm really sorry about last night," I stated, "I just got carried away, and before I…"

I couldn't utter another word as Sokka planted his lips onto mine. With how much confidence he showed, kissing the same girl that humiliated him all those months before, I believed Sokka was truly ready to turn the page. Perhaps this was a time for us all to show even more support to each other, given the climax of our adventures was about to unfold. For me, I knew my support for Sokka was undying; he showed me enough in this short period to prove that he had indeed matured, and he was more ready than ever to take on the world. With that thought in mind, I realized now was the time to play my part.

________________________________________

**Katara's POV**

"We're on your side, we're here to help!" Sokka called across the large room to his target, a slim man with round spectacles wearing green and yellow robes sitting at the throne. Things kept hindering us from reaching our objective of meeting the Earth King here in Ba Sing Se, and only yesterday we found out why. The Dai Li, led by the chief minister Long Feng, controlled everything in the city, including the broadcasting of any information. That meant the Fire Nation's advances, the war, and even the rediscovery of the Avatar were muzzled by the Dai Li. With no Appa and nobody to turn to for help, there was very little that we could do except wait at our residence.

But something happened that caused us to initiate the action, rather than wait for luck to come to us. It turned out that Jet, the former Freedom Fighter leader, was in Ba Sing Se, and offered to show us where Appa was. I never thought I would see that face again, let alone let him approach me after what he did. But upon further investigation, we found out that Jet was brainwashed by the Dai Li, to the point where he couldn't even remember his own past. Only by using my healing water bending tricks did we find out what really happened, leading us straight to the Dai Li's underwater lair.

"You have to trust us," I added, watching anxiously as that squat balding man Long Feng appeared next to the king. It was in the underwater lair that Long Feng and Jet battled each other, with our former acquaintance taking a fatal blow. With Long Feng on the run and another resistor removed, there was nothing preventing the Fire Nation from running roughshod over the capital now. With the lives of the citizens at stake, we must get the Earth King to help us, even if it meant discrediting Long Feng.

But the Earth King was unimpressed, ordering us to drop our weapons before we were allowed to speak to him. Given that Long Feng had the king on a leash, we had no choice but to stand down. As I pulled my water whip back into my sash, the Dai Li sent these blobs of earth at us, yanking my arms violently and cuffing my hands together. "Make sure the Avatar and his friends never see daylight again," Long Feng called monotonously. I glanced around, hoping there would be some plan to escape. Sokka was the one who suggested we invaded the palace, so what did he have to say?

"You're the Avatar?" the Earth King asked, pointing at Sokka. My jaw nearly hit the floor as the bespectacled man thought my goofball brother was the Avatar. Which part of Sokka showed anything Avatar-like? But then again, knowing how things were like with Sokka throughout this journey, maybe I shouldn't be surprised that a weird trick like this would buy us some time. Could this change the Earth King's mind?

Sokka signalled to Aang, who broke free from his earthen cuffs and waved at the king. Even with Long Feng filling up the Earth King with lies, we were still granted some time to speak. It helped our case when the king's pet bear Bosco acted friendly around Aang, making things easier for us. "There's a war going on right now, for the past one hundred years, in fact. The Dai Li kept it secret from you. It's a conspiracy to control the city, and to control you. Long Feng didn't want us to tell you, so he stole our Sky Bison to blackmail us. And blackmail's the least of his crimes, as he brainwashed our friend!"

To no one's surprise, Long Feng worked his magic on the king, describing us as enemies of the state and members of a revolutionary group plotting a rebellion. I deflated as the Earth King suggested that his advisor was correct. Biting my lower lip, I racked my brain for solutions. It was times like this that Sokka usually had some genius move. He got us out of plenty of sticky messes before, so why couldn't he figure out this one?

My wish was granted as Sokka whipped around and challenged Long Feng. "I can prove he's lying," he stated, his eyes larger than saucers and brighter than the sun as he set his sights on Long Feng, "Ask him to lift his robe."

My eyes tilted back and forth, realizing Sokka might have pulled it off again. Long Feng was in charge of capturing Appa, and in a recent tussle with us Appa bit him across the shins. If there were any scars or tooth marks, then it would turn everything upside-down. Great thinking, Sokka, we owed you another one.

Despite all the refusals from Long Feng, Aang took a deep breath and blew at the middle-aged man's legs, lifting his robe and exposing the scars. Sokka went one step further by dragging Appa into the throne room, comparing the markings to Appa's teeth. Crazy it might sound, but the evidence was good as gold. "This matter is worth looking into," the Earth King decided, realizing that the Dai Li conspiracy theory was possible after all. For me, it might be a small victory, but one that we would take anytime.

It was all Sokka from that moment on, as he led the Earth King through the sprawling metropolis and to Lake Laogai, where the Dai Li's underwater base was located. Even with only fragments of what was left, given the Dai Li knew we were coming and probably destroyed the base ahead of time, Sokka's upbeat attitude didn't falter. "The wall," I reminded Sokka of the large mechanical drill the Fire Nation used to get into the city just weeks ago, "They'll never be able to cover that up in time."

Enticing the Earth King with a ride on Appa, we flew him all the way to the Outer Wall of Ba Sing Se. There was no denying how terrified, but also excited, the Earth King was when he rode on Appa, screaming nonstop as he zinged through the air. But while the king enjoyed his ride, my mind was on Sokka. A few short months ago, he was very similar to the Earth King, with limited outside experience, and certainly had no appetite to open his mind. It might not be as bad as the king, who was brainwashed and manipulated by Long Feng, but I could argue that Sokka brainwashed himself by refusing to be open and receptive, especially regarding his views on fighting wars and gender roles.

Approaching the wall, I also realized the changes in Sokka made him come full circle now. In the past, Sokka was clinging onto old beliefs, only giving them up after receiving shock after shock, particularly during our journey with Aang. To an extent, we were all having our own surprises, with events happening that made us all reconsider our current positions. But for Sokka to reach out extra hard, to a king no less, was truly remarkable. When he resolved to make his mark on the world after the Yue incident, he certainly wasn't exaggerating. Now, on the cusp of showing the Earth Kingdom the big lies of the Dai Li, I truly hoped everything would succeed.

The colour literally drained out of the Earth King's face as he saw the large mechanical beast below, the head deeply imbedded into the wall. Just like how we left it after our team battled Princess Azula and her minions to stop this thing, the sludge was all over the place, making it almost impossible to clean off completely. "I can't believe I never knew," the Earth King murmured, holding onto the wall for balance. My eyes turned to Sokka, who was had an expressionless but uncompromising stare on his face. If this was what it took to wake up the kingdom, then I fully supported Sokka's decision.

A wave of scowls raced through us as Long Feng reappeared from a trapdoor, telling us another set of lies. Claiming that it was a construction project contracted out to the Fire Nation due to incompetent Earth Kingdom technology, all four of us tried our hardest not to punch that guy's lights out. Sokka was screened by the Earth King, who turned his head back and forth between his advisor and the Fire Nation's dangerous machine. But even without seeing him, I could envision Sokka trying to hold it in as well, albeit with much difficulty. Sokka was no longer blind to the truth, and neither was the Earth King. To continue using the veil of blindness was nothing more than foolishness.

Then, after what seemed like an eternity, the Earth King made his decision. "Dai Li, arrest Long Feng," he ordered, "I want him to stand trial for crimes against the Earth Kingdom." Just as it ended, a sudden warm breeze from outside the wall blew in, kicking up some dust and debris just as Long Feng was escorted away. Without another word from anyone, the king requested that we brought him back to the palace.

After a silent ride on Appa, in which all of us had some time to think about what happened, we returned to the palace. "I want to thank you young heroes for opening my eyes," the Earth King told us as he climbed back onto his throne, "All this time, what I thought was a great metropolis was a city of fools, and that makes me the king fool." He shaded his eyes from our stares, trying to hide his guilt and shame.

That was when Sokka made his biggest move. "We think you can help us end the war," he explained. During our journey in the Earth Kingdom, we found out from an underground library that a comet would come by summer, empowering the Fire Nation to the point where they could wipe out the world. "Before the comet comes, we have a window of opportunity. A solar eclipse is coming. The sun will be entirely blocked out by the moon, and the fire benders will be helpless. That's the day we need to invade the Fire Nation!" he declared. All the chips had to be in, and there was no turning back.

Even so, the Earth King was very hesitant, realizing that mobilizing troops out of the capital meant leaving himself vulnerable. For a while, I could understand his thoughts on this. The Earth King just lost his most trusted advisor, having found out that Long Feng had been lying to him all along. I personally felt the same way when Jet turned on me before reuniting with him for the final time in Ba Sing Se, but right now there were bigger stakes, such as the lives of all these citizens. I, along with Aang and Sokka, had to let go of our original mistrust of Jet, so couldn't the Earth King put his feelings aside?

Luckily, Sokka beat us to the punch again. "You're already vulnerable," he corrected the king, "The Fire Nation won't stop until Ba Sing Se falls. You can either sit back and wait for that to happen, or take the offensive and give yourself a fighting chance." I had never seen Sokka with that much determination before. Whatever doubts I had about his leadership qualities were erased on the spot by how he explained his ideas.

Then, in the most amazing gesture ever, the Earth King agreed to our proposal. He would summon his generals, and together we would come up with a plan. While I was overjoyed at the prospects of the invasion, I was proudest of my brother. This was truly the beginning of his ascent into a leadership post, directing the war effort and taking a stand against the Fire Nation. There would still be a battle ahead, as we couldn't tell if the Fire Nation had any other tricks up their sleeves. But for now, Sokka had everything in good shape, and I couldn't be happier with his efforts. This was his first major step, and I certainly hope there would be plenty more advancement for him in the future.

________________________________________

**Sokka's POV**

Every set of eyes in the camp keyed in on me as I made my approach. While the wave of blue clothing was a familiar sight, I felt like a total outsider here. Given that I hadn't seen these people in years, I had no idea what their impressions of me would be. How would they respond to seeing me now, compared to me then? Had I grown up in their eyes? Would they finally accept me into their group, and made me one of their warriors? As the thoughts swirled in my mind, I entered the campsite.

The strange silence was soon broken as the men swarmed me, greeting me and giving me nudges and pats. Somehow, it reminded me that I was still a kid, especially when some of these warriors already had graying hair. But given my true reason of being here, I didn't resent that. Amidst the "great to see you" and "how you've grown" remarks from the others, my eyes scanned around the campsite. There had to be a planning area where my father could do his work, right?

I scanned no more as my eyes set sight on a large tent in front of me, past the crowd of people. It was like the sea parting as the water warriors cleared a path for me straight into my target. A million things crossed my mind as I was about to meet my dad for the first time in years. When we were in Ba Sing Se earlier, the Earth King arrested that filthy snake Long Feng for crimes against the kingdom, meaning everything Long Feng had in his office were to be investigated. Indeed, there was a letter from Dad that informed us of his location. To say Katara and I were excited would be a massive understatement, as we had been longing to see our father since he first left our tribe. With such a great opportunity, there was no way we would be missing out.

But there was one problem, as one of us had to stay in the palace to discuss our plans for invading the Fire Nation on the day of the eclipse. With Aang off to find a guru that was willing to teach Aang more about the Avatar State, and Toph getting a letter from her parents stating that they were in the city, it meant either Katara or I had to stay behind. I originally offered to remain in Ba Sing Se, given that I was the one who made the announcement regarding the eclipse, but Katara made one of the biggest sacrifices for me when she insisted that I went to see Dad. She knew how much I wanted to see him, more so than she did, and hence the offer. I didn't know what to say to Katara, but for this incident alone, she had my eternal gratitude.

As I pried the tent open, my eyes zoomed in on the seated figure straight in my line of sight. Even though it had been years, I still recognized the features: Round face, dark hair, tan skin, small goatee, the traits were just as I remembered. Feeling my throat going dry and clenching at the same time, I eked out, "Hi, Dad!"

Not another word was spoken as I was pulled into a huge embrace, Dad's arms wrapping around me so tightly that I could feel my ribs pushed closer. I could only return the gesture as I held my father close, burying my face onto his shoulder. It was a moment that I hoped would never fade in my memory, even after the war was over. I had so many things to tell and show Dad, and hopefully I had time to add in Katara's tidbits too.

Before long, I was totally immersed into Dad's planning session with his top strategists. As tribe chief, Dad assembled the top people on his team to lead the war effort. Given that our tribe had access to water, it was obvious that the reliance on our navy was a focal point. But for me, I was barely absorbing the information, my mind too focused on getting some time with Dad. I knew Dad was doing me a favour by having me hear out this meeting, given that one day I would succeed him and be the coordinator of these talks. But for now, I was content to be in the same place as my father.

The meeting went by sooner than expected, even though the words spoken by Dad's advisors were nothing but slurs. My mind was completely blanked during the time inside the tent as my stomach churned and my knees jellied. I knew Dad must have some new inventions to show me, given how he spent all his life developing new techniques and instruments for our tribe. All the innovation I used throughout my journey was in large part due to things I picked up from Dad, and I really wished I could have a chance to show him what I came up with. I always wanted him to judge me for how I grew up while he was gone, so hopefully we could have a chance right now.

And one such invention was being adjusted right now, with Dad opening a large barrel-like container. "We've been using these tangle mines to stop Fire Nation ships from getting through," he explained. Chameleon Bay was the most direct route to get into Ba Sing Se, so if the Fire Nation wanted to invade the city via water, this was the place to do it. As Dad unscrewed the cap, Bato approached and poured in the secret formula, claiming that Dad invented both the concept of tangle mines and the solution that filled it.

I stuck my head into the opening, trying to get a peak. Before long, a strange odour filled the air, completely overwhelming me. "Destructive, buoyant, and…argh, terrible smelling!" I exclaimed, pinching my nose. Whatever my dad intended to go into that thing was ridiculously unpleasant, and I could tell how it could be effective.

"The mines are filled with skunk fish and seaweed. When a ship detonates the mine, the seaweed tangles up the propeller, and the foul smell forces people to abandon the ship," Dad described, cleaning up the outsides of the container. Somehow, I knew there was a witty name Dad came up with for this. How about the weedy destroyer, or maybe the fish torpedo? Wait, here it comes. "I call it, the stink and sink."

I rolled on the ground laughing as Dad revealed the name. There wasn't anything better than that one, both memorable and descriptive. In my childhood, I didn't really have much of a chance to bond with my father, given the constant state of war we were in. Add in the death of my mother when I was still a boy, and I truly wondered how my family didn't become more dysfunctional. But for me, it took a lot of courage from more than one person to hold everything together, and forced me to grow up faster than most other children my age. So for me, to bond with my father again, this was like regaining the lost years. In my heart, I truly believed I would treasure moments like these forever.

But one of the warriors interrupted my thoughts. He reported seeing Fire Nation ships coming near the coast, which meant it was time for battle. I struggled to my feet, that churning feeling in my stomach returning again. "Bato, get these mines loaded up," Dad instructed the team, "The rest of you men, prepare for battle." I could only look up as the warriors packed their gear and set their course, but I wasn't given any orders at all. Did that mean I didn't get to battle? All the years where I prepared myself to fight alongside the other warriors, would I not get a chance at all? How could I show Dad that I was ready to take on the Fire Nation along with the others?

Yet the moment of truth slowly revealed itself as my dad turned his head at me. "Aren't you listening? I said the rest of you men get ready for battle," he ordered, the command clearly sent towards me. From my position, I could barely react, realizing that I was finally accepted into the group for the first time! So not only did Dad not feel I was too immature, instead he felt I was ready to fight alongside the men! This was a moment I had been waiting for all my life, and I was determined not to disappoint him. Whatever challenge on the horizon, I say bring it on!

By the time I grabbed my belongings and headed for the boats, it was already dusk. With the sun nearing the horizon, there was maybe a sliver of light for me to still see my father's face as he approached me. "You don't know how much this means to me, Dad. I'll make you proud, and I'll finally prove to you what a great warrior I am," I murmured, trying hard not to get sentimental. Water Tribe warriors were taught to be solid in battle and to be unafraid of death, so I couldn't possibly let my tears loose before these veterans. Otherwise, I didn't know what would be worse, my father getting irritated or being sent back to Ba Sing Se dressed like a baby. Diaper, anyone?

Dad put all my fears to rest when he replied, "Sokka, you don't have to prove anything to me. I'm already proud of you, and I've always known that you're a great warrior. Why do you think I trusted you to look after our tribe when I left?" The moon shone just enough light onto Dad for me to see the mists in his eyes, showing me that even the toughest of warriors could get emotional. Heh, maybe if those elders wanted to get tough on us, they'd have to put Dad in baby clothes too!

But all that was shoved aside as a huge breeze from the beach nearly knocked me off balance. We all glanced up and saw Aang on Appa, sitting eagerly on the sand. Aang had a strange expression on his face, almost like he was filled with guilt. One look at the situation, and I knew something was wrong. "This can't be good news," I muttered.

Luckily, Dad had enough manpower to handle the mission, and insisted that I went back with the Avatar. "In times like these, you must prioritize," he lectured, waving at the Sky Bison. Taking a deep breath, I headed towards Aang. Even though I would miss out on my dream mission to battle alongside my father, I knew there was a much bigger stake at hand. Whatever Aang was up to, I had a feeling that it would affect us all.

________________________________________

**Sokka's POV**

"Thank goodness we're in time," I exclaimed just as Toph and I rushed into the throne room. Aang's reasoning for leaving the guru early was completely unveiled as a coup took place right before my eyes. As we rushed to the palace, Dai Li agents around us started picking off generals and other high ranking officials one by one, to the point where they were pretty much in charge. Luckily, I wasn't captured by any of their weird metal cuffs. Not exactly suitable for me to be hung upside-down with those chains around my feet, so why didn't the Dai Li just use that on one of their own, like Long Feng?

But things weren't about to stop there, as Iroh, Zuko's uncle and apparently a good friend of Toph's, claimed his niece, Princess Azula, was in on the coup as well. She kidnapped and imprisoned both Zuko and Katara, and now had control of the Dai Li. My group actually came across Azula a few times before in the past, the most recent one being the drill incident, but now was the first time I realized that Azula really meant business. With Iroh and Aang going after my sister and the angry jerk, I took Toph into the palace with me to warn the Earth King. Just before I left for Chameleon Bay, the Kyoshi Warriors arrived to guard the king, so everything should be okay, right?

Yet the universe loved to prove me wrong, as one of the warriors somersaulted up to me and stared flirtingly. I didn't really know how to react, but Toph took care of all that for me. "They're not the real Kyoshi Warriors!" she shouted, bending a slab of rock that sent the warrior flying. I should have guessed, right? Given the warrior said she had no idea who Suki was, that should have set some alarms through my brain? But somehow it didn't ring a bell, and I was shocked how easily I was caught off guard.

Before long, there was an all-out battle going on, with Toph taking on the other warrior in a projectile versus rock battle. For me, I was still stuck with the first warrior, who I recalled had the ability to block one's chi and paralyzing one immediately. For me, it was all about avoiding her hits, dodging and weaving away with her every jab. Brawl? More like a weird dance, as my opponent pointed out. Foot pivot, hip twist, body turn, waist in, arms out, was there anything more embarrassing? And the sad irony was, I was fighting someone in a Kyoshi uniform, which was supposed to be this style that I tried to learn after being embarrassed the first time. How bad could this look?

Apparently, not as bad as the Earth King looked, as he had a flame right up his throat, with Princess Azula, now dressed in Earth Kingdom clothing, declaring, "This fight is over!" With the Earth King's life at stake, Toph and I couldn't possibly take this risk. So, in complete defeat, we dropped our weapons and raised our hands.

We ended up finding ourselves in a prison cell a distance from the throne room. With the Earth King and Toph somewhere behind me, I marched up to the front peephole and squinted, trying to see if there was anything outside that could help me. There was no way I could operate in these conditions, not without my tools. Was there anything that I could use to get us out of here? When did I become this clueless?

Just then, Toph marched up to me, and told me of a new technique she invented herself. "I recently started to feel pieces of metal, and could sense the earthen particles inside them. If there are no guards outside, I'll bend the earth inside the door and break us out." Toph marched up to the door, and pressed her hands on the surface.

I kept my eyes on the opening even as Toph marched up, realizing that she most likely wanted an empty exterior. No point in trying anything with Dai Li agents marching around us. I wondered how well Toph could bend the metal cuffs the Dai Li used to catch the generals. "Are there any Dai Li agents nearby?" Toph asked me.

Reporting no, I stepped back and watched Toph do her work. It truly amazed me from the first day that Toph could do all this while fighting a handicap, but to see that she not only mastered earth bending, but created her own technique, it truly amazed me. For me, even though I had my dad's vote of confidence, I personally didn't feel I contributed my fair share to our group's efforts. My mission to fight alongside Dad was postponed when Aang returned, and throughout most battles there was a lot of bending, which was something I wasn't familiar with. So if we got out unscathed, I would put in extra effort into making our invasion, which would most likely have to be modified, a successful one.

After an agonizing minute or so, Toph crumpled the metal door and tossed it aside. I immediately grabbed the Earth King and hustled out, amidst the king's cries of wanting us to save his pet bear. Originally, both Toph and I had reservations about this. Was the Earth King implying that his bear was more important than us both, and more specifically, more important than his kingdom? Maybe he ought to switch occupations and became a zookeeper for bears instead of running a kingdom.

But the king insisted, claiming that Bosco was his only companion. Toph and I glanced at each other, and finally my good side took over. It wasn't often that we saw a king who lost his kingdom thanks to the betrayal of his closest advisor, so perhaps the least we ought to give him was some psychological comfort with his pet bear. Nodding at each other, Toph and I led the king back to the throne room, where we believed a large animal like Bosco would be kept. I just hoped I didn't have to go against that flirty fake warrior again. I shuddered to think what Suki had to say should she see me with her.

Luckily, Toph took care of that problem for me, as she caught Miss Flirty doing a handstand just as we entered. Binding her hands with rocks, the warrior naturally fell, and Toph trapped her feet as well. Her partner in crime, however, was totally nonchalant about our attack, which allowed us to take Bosco without resistance. I was a bit curious about that, given the Fire Nation's relentless attitude. After all, they had a tendency of lighting anything around them on fire, so why the sudden change?

Either way, we rushed back outside, which was now blanketed by dusk and rain clouds. Coolness and dampness clung to our skin as we approached Appa, trying to flee the capital as quickly as possible. I was still concerned for Aang and Iroh, who rushed to the underground catacombs to rescue Katara and Zuko. There were surprisingly no Dai Li agents around, but that probably meant Azula got them to go underground to pursue as well. Whatever was happening, I hoped Aang and Katara could stay alive long enough to get out safely. "Where are you guys?" I muttered, gripping Appa's reins tightly.

Suddenly, from that very hole Toph created to lead Aang and Iroh into the catacombs emerged a gruesome sight. With clothes tattered, bodies battered, and fairly fatigued-looking faces, came two individuals. The standing one struggling to move forward was none other than my sister, but the individual she carried seemed almost lifeless. "Oh no," I murmured, wondering what happened to Aang. There was no way that the world's saviour could be dead, right? What would happen to achieving peace now? Or even worse, what would happen to our group, now that we lost a true friend?

I could only concentrate on flying us out of Ba Sing Se, my mind completely paralyzed. Azula did what her friend couldn't do, and that was blocking my brain's chi. Even when Katara tried to heal Aang behind me, I couldn't bring myself to look. This was a huge blow to us all, both physically and emotionally. Not only were my friends in danger, our battle plans all had to be scuttled. We went from an advantageous position where we had the trust of the Earth King and the Council of Five into a case where the generals were prisoners in their own homes and the king was now a refugee. It would take all the thinking in the world, but hopefully we could get something re-planned.

But there was one thing Azula and her friends forgot: there was no way the Fire Nation could out-think two Water Tribe geniuses, namely my father and me. Adding the determination of Katara and Toph to it, and they were fighting an impossible battle. Even if Zuko sided with them and turned on Aang, they still had to face the entire Southern Water Tribe ship fleet. I promised my group that I would do everything I could to contribute my part, and as long as I was unscathed, the Fire Nation better watch out.


	21. Sokka, Part 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Each character grows up with a set of experiences unique to themselves. Watch each person describe what went through their minds and how they changed as they reacted to the world. These are their stories, these are their rites of passage.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: Michael DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko own Avatar.

**Sokka's POV**

"After what happened in Ba Sing Se, we had to get you to safety," I described to Aang, who was conscious for the first time since his injury. After the Dai Li turned the Earth Kingdom capital upside-down, all our plans had to be scuttled, given we no longer had a standing army to rely on. With the Fire Nation on the attack and Aang out of commission, there was nothing more we could do other than return to Chameleon Bay, where my father's fleet was, and regrouped from there.

"We captured a single Fire Nation ship, and made it our disguise," I continued, hinting at all the Fire Nation uniforms we all had on. While my eyes glanced around for emphasis, I couldn't help by tilt them back at Aang. His body was wrapped with thick, white bandages, and he could barely walk without using his glider staff as a crutch. But most oddly, he now had a hairy head covering most of his arrow, save for the pointed tip jutting out on his forehead. It was definitely different and awkward, but it was something we had to get used to for now, given the grave situation.

Aang barely got a bite of food in, with heavy bags under his eyes and his body frail beyond belief. Either way, we thought it was only right that he knew a bit about our new invasion plan. "We're planning a smaller invasion, just a ragtag team of our friends and allies around the Earth Kingdom," I explained, "We already ran into Pipsqueak and The Duke." I gestured to my right, showing Aang the two former Freedom Fighters. No point in staging the invasion with people who were around the same size, so why not bring in a giant and a shorty just to mix things up a bit?

Turning back to Aang, I announced the best news yet. "The eclipse isn't even our biggest advantage. We have a secret: you," I ended with a whisper. Believe it or not, the whole world believed Aang was shot dead by Princess Azula in the catacombs. What they didn't know was that Katara used the spirit water to heal up Aang. But if we all kept it a secret, then nobody would know about Aang. Just think what would happen on the day of the eclipse, when Aang marched into the Fire Lord's palace alive and well?

However, Aang didn't take it that well, claiming it was bad news that the whole world thought he was dead. I didn't understand why he felt that way, as we all believed that this would take the Fire Nation's attention off of us, and wouldn't be hunting us all the time. Why couldn't he see things from a more practical perspective and just went with a sneak attack? But then again, given he just awoke from a coma, maybe his brain wasn't at full speed yet. I wondered how well Katara's healing water worked on Aang's head.

Apparently, I spoke too soon, as a real Fire Nation ship approached and signaled us to stop. Trying to avoid them spotting Aang, I pulled him into a storage slot on the ship's deck. Toph and Katara followed us in while Pipsqueak and The Duke draped a large tarp over Appa. With Dad and Bato handling the talking, all we could do was stay down and remained silent. My heart pounded as the captain of the other ship boarded ours, staring Dad down and interrogating him like a criminal. Oh, just you wait, captain. When the eclipse came, it wouldn't be you who would be talking tough!

Just as the discussion ended, Toph jumped out from her hiding spot. "They know!" She yelled, slamming her hand down onto the deck and crumpling the metallic boarding ramp. The Fire Nation captain and his two crew members were on the ramp at the time, and fell straight into the water. "They figured out that we're a captured ship, and they're going to sink us!" Toph reported, her tone frantic and angry at the same time.

Katara hurried out from the hiding spot and created a huge wave, sending the two ships apart and giving us enough room to go full-steam ahead. While the others used all means possible to stave off the Fire Nation ship, I pulled Aang into the interior of the boat, making sure he didn't show himself. My now hairy friend was no doubt frustrated, but I had to keep his emotions in check. When I first returned to Chameleon Bay after the Ba Sing Se defeat, my heart was heavy with emotion too. I felt I was somewhat guilty for letting the Earth King down, but also letting Aang down. I promised to protect him, but he ended up getting shot. Luckily, Katara healed him up, or I might descend into another guilt-ridden period like the Yue incident.

Nonetheless, I promised to redeem myself here by making the invasion during the eclipse as successful as possible. As I tried to grab hold of Aang, making sure he stayed secret, another flaming projectile was launched at our ship, this time hitting the engine. "Things couldn't get much worse," I muttered, analyzing the damage as Katara doused water on it. With our speed waning, the last thing we wanted was more obstacles.

But the universe loved proving me wrong, as the serpent from the Serpent's Pass, the same one we ran into when we first entered Ba Sing Se, appeared from the water. Hissing menacingly at us, we wondered how we could handle two attackers. Let this thing eat us alive, or let the Fire Nation sink our ship and let this thing eat us while we were drowning. Why not have a vote on the boat and see which one was preferable?

Fortunately, a third option appeared, and that was from an errant shot by the Fire Nation ship. The projectile sailed above our heads and slammed into the serpent's face, turning its angry face at the ship behind us. Slithering its body around their boat, I could only breathe a sigh of relief. "Thank, universe," I quietly murmured.

By the time we docked, our ship was in tatters. Along with getting supplies from this port town, we had to stock up on food and other equipment. Naturally, I asked Aang if he wanted us to get him anything, but it was evident that Aang didn't want to leave the boat. I wanted him to tie a ribbon around his head to cover his arrow, but he flatly refused to hide his most important mark. With the argument going nowhere, Katara suggested that Toph and I left the boat while she tended to Aang. I might not be a healer, but I believed Aang's heart was what required healing the most.

By the time Toph and I returned, it was night-time. As we rushed through the rain and back onto the ship, Katara returned to us, upset and agitated. "Aang disappeared," she reported, trying to keep her tone calm, "He claimed he wanted to save the world alone and didn't want us to tag along. We have to find him before he gets hurt."

Hearing that, Toph and I dropped our stuff off and hopped onto Appa. With the large Sky Bison still with us, it meant Aang only left on his glider, making things that much more dangerous. With this type of weather and his weak physical condition, there was no doubt in my mind he could be seriously hurt. And with such a large ocean filled with Fire Nation patrol teams around us, it would only make our search riskier.

After a sleepless night of searching, in which fatigue fell upon us all, including Appa, we finally found Aang lying on the waterfront on Crescent Island, the same place where Avatar Roku's former temple stood. Even though he was beaten and battered by the violent storm last night, he was alright. I did recall seeing something strange with the moon, almost like Yue was reaching out to us, but I didn't think too much more about that. With Aang's safety assured, we decided to rejoin the invasion team on the day of the eclipse, opting to lay low and mingle in the Fire Nation for now.

But before we could move, Aang stepped up to the molten lava flowing from the island's volcano. "It's better for now that no one knows I'm alive," he declared, and in one smooth motion, slammed his staff into the lava. As the piece of wood lit on fire, Aang returned to our group, boarding Appa before taking off.

For whatever reason, it only fuelled my own flame to see Aang through. It was difficult for Aang to come to terms with his defeat, just like it was difficult for me. That was why, from this day on, the stakes would be even higher. Failure was no longer an option for us, as we must do everything we could to ensure the invasion succeeded.

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**Sokka's POV**

The wide hallways and vast chambers of this huge mansion astounded me, even more so than the Northern Water Tribe. After wandering almost aimlessly for the last few weeks in the Fire Nation, we weren't exactly welcome in large mansions. The first part of our journey forced us to spend a few days in a cave, where Aang befriended a bunch of Fire Nation school kids. This was followed by camping out at a highly polluted river near a large government-run factory, where Katara impersonated a water spirit to fight the Fire Nation's pollution. And through it all, I got very little peace of mind, as even within the Fire Nation, my friends were doing all these amazing things, while I barely did anything.

But this time, I was taking the initiative, and seeking out a master of the sword. When we were at a weapons shop earlier, I ran across the most beautiful sword I had ever seen. The shopkeeper told me that it belonged to Piandao, the greatest swordsman in Fire Nation history. Given that he lived just up the hill from the town, I decided to pay him a visit. I did admit that I didn't exactly come prepared, as I wasn't sure what customs the Fire Nation had in visiting a grand master. With the butler already making a downward-gazing face at me as he greeted me, I knew things were only about to get harder.

As I reached the top floor, the butler led me into a large, brightly-lit room. Just before the open balcony sat a man scribbling powerfully but peacefully with a brush, his hand weaving the light onto his page as the butler asked me to introduce myself. Taking a deep breath, I put on my best convincing face and approached him. "Master, my name is Sokka, and I wish to be instructed in the way of the sword," I eked out.

My stomach rumbled and twisted, even though I came with a full belly, as the master addressed me. "Let me guess, you've come hundreds of miles from your village, where you're the best swordsman in town, and you think you deserve to learn from a master," he stated nonchalantly, his back never turning around. With the light shining around him and onto me, I felt like being put on the spot.

I looked around, trying to find some way to make me hide. If Piandao's mission was to make me feel insignificant, then I certainly believed he succeeded. At this rate, I should introduce Piandao to Suki, and put them in a competition for who could make Sokka feel lowest the quickest. "I've been all over the world," I tried to continue, each swish of the master's brush on the paper sounding more like a slice into my heart, "and I know one thing for sure: I have a lot to learn."

As if they grew a mind of their own, my knees buckled and sent me kneeling onto the ground. The master finally made one peek over his shoulder, realizing that I was using the only way to convince him that I was worthy. "Your butler told me that when I met you I would have to prove my worth," I described, "But I don't know if I am worthy."

In many ways, this was true. Last night, our group was merely enjoying the night sky when a meteor slammed into the forests just outside the town. With a huge fire threatening to burn down everything, Aang, Katara, and Toph hurried their way to the trouble spots, dousing water and throwing dirt onto the flames. It took quite some time, but in the end they stopped a disaster from reaching the town. While they did all they could with their bending, I was left standing there guarding Momo. I never felt so helpless in my entire life, almost reminding me that despite my invasion strategy, I was nothing more than a bystander when it came to actually contributing to the group.

Then, to my surprise, the master picked up the sword and escorted me outside. "Let's find out together how worthy you are," he suggested as we went to the courtyard. For Piandao, he told me he wasn't interested in hearing how certain individuals won so many championships in swordfight, nor did he want to hear about how someone was an expert in so many styles of fighting and wanted to learn one more. In his mind, Piandao believed it was more important to have a humble but positive attitude, a willingness to admit to one's mistakes, and taking responsibility for one's shortcomings. Somehow, this was a strange irony, as I was the one who used to hide in my own little world in the Southern Water Tribe and pretended to be a leader. Well, at least my experience outside of the tribe put me on the right path. Let's see if Piandao could do the same.

Entering the courtyard, Piandao demonstrated how the sword, even as a simple weapon, could be one of the most versatile and deadly tools when placed in the hands of a skilled fighter. Claiming that the sword was an extension of the body, the master wanted me to use the imagination to envision what possibilities the sword might bring to a fighter. For me, this brought back memories of the Kyoshi Warriors, where Suki mentioned how her fans were an extension of herself. Perhaps there were a lot of similarities between fighting styles, and I merely neglected to take note?

Either way, training would get more difficult from that moment on. Master Piandao had me switch into a different set of clothes that was more suitable for a future swordsman. When we first tried blending in, we merely grabbed random items off a clothesline, meaning it was a total stroke of luck that anything remotely matched. With a new, robe-like tunic and actual shoes instead of sandals, the master led me back into his study and taught me the first skill of swordsmanship. "The warrior practices a variety of arts to keep his mind sharp and fluid," Piandao explained, rolling out a large sheet of paper on his desk. Insisting that we began with calligraphy, he ordered me to write my name, which was supposed to let me stamp the page with my identity.

I tilted the brush back and forth, not knowing what to think. It wasn't exactly the most dynamic way to present who I was, so perhaps there was a better way? With the bristles inches from my nose, I suddenly had an idea. Except for Toph, almost everyone identified others with their faces, so why not give a face stamp for Piandao? Turning the brush at my own head, I completely coloured my face with the sticky ink and faced the page. I winked at the master, who merely cocked an eyebrow at me. I then slammed my head onto the paper, twisting and turning furiously to make my mark.

By the time I felt most of the ink either dry off or was pasted onto the page, I finally lifted my head. I knew my face was probably horrendous, with black smudges all over my cheeks, but the job was done. Lifting the page up, I proudly showed Master Piandao the picture, which was as close to a face portrait as I could make it. I wondered what he would think of this. It was his idea to stamp an identity, so he'd accept it, right?

But the master could only close his eyes, either out of embarrassment due to the strange picture or in complete disgust. I wasn't sure which one was more prevalent, and I wasn't keen on staying around to find out. Suggesting we moved on to the next activity, he put a blindfold on my face and led me out of his castle. "In battle, you only have an instant to take everything in," he described, leading me through the rocky and uneven ground. That was why he wanted me to practice landscape painting, to show him how well I could observe and analyze a scene before me.

As the blindfold was torn off, I saw the most magnificent scene before me. A huge waterfall roared through a canyon, with nothing but blue sky above and the sounds of water swirling below. The mist splashed onto my face, chilling me from the heat of this summer day, but not enough to wet the tunic Piandao gave me. It showed me that, even in enemy territory, there was beauty to be seen, especially in these natural scenes.

But I didn't get too much more opportunity to soak in the sights. Piandao placed a firm hand on my head and twisted it around, pointing at an already prepared drawing palate at my feet. "Now paint it," he ordered, "And no peeking." With the master standing solid before the falls, I realized I was really in for it now. I had to admit that I did do some observations, and my quick thinking did save my team several times, but it was usually during the fight that I had time to think about it. Never in my life had I been asked to come up with something on the spot. Could I pass this challenge?

With only pieces of the waterfall still fresh in my mind, I had to do the best I could from scratch. The formation was kind of mountainous, so perhaps I should add in a couple of hills. Was there grass underneath the waterfall, or at least around the river that flowed at the bottom of the canyon? Maybe I should add that in as well. And the sky, it was so memorable, with how blue it was! Let's add in a rainbow, just so we could spruce things up. Yeah, this one was in the bag! "I'm finished!" I called to the master.

I pulled out my drawing in a flourish, showing it off to Piandao. But just as I thought my masterpiece was completed, the swordsman could only sigh. "You've added a rainbow," he pointed out, the only comment he had the entire time. Come on, it wasn't that bad, right? At least the rainbow added colour, that counted too, right?

After a quick lunch, Piandao brought me to his garden to teach me the art of rock gardening, which was supposed to evaluate how well a warrior could manipulate his surroundings. Surveying the scene, perhaps there was some way to, as the master phrased it, make this place work to my advantage. A garden was meant for relaxing, right? So why not create a relaxation area with the elements already present? There was a huge rock to my right, and some grassy patches around it, so let's bring those to the shade on the left, cover the rock with the grass, and presto!

But I barely got a second to lie down on the rock before I heard a loud shriek coming from Piandao's direction. From the steps overlooking the garden, the butler returned, and seemed horrified by my work. Cocking an eyebrow at him, I wondered what was so bad about it. It felt comfortable enough, so why the huge fuss? "Would you mind grabbing a cold drink for me?" I called to the heavyset man.

By the end of the day, things were finally looking up. Between each activity the master had me do, I took in minimal sparring with the butler, and each time I ended up getting slaughtered. The most humiliating time was during the middle of the match, when I heard Piandao call me. It made me shift my gaze towards him, allowing the butler to slam me straight to the ground. The master commented that I ought to focus on the battlefield more. He even went as far as saying not let anyone distract me, even if it were him doing the distracting. Could the torture ever end?

Yet this time, I felt more confident than ever. With each thrust and parry, I matched the butler swing for swing, feeling the sword doing exactly what I wanted it to do. Before long, the butler was disarmed, and I had the blade, albeit a wooden one, pointed right at his face. Well, it was one small victory in a day filled with bloopers and mistakes, right? I could at least go back to my group and tell them I wasn't a total failure.

But somehow, the master felt differently, as we gathered in the courtyard to summarize what we learned on my first day. The sun was nearing the western horizon, its rays seeking past the master and casting them straight at me. "You messed things up, but in a very special way," Piandao explained, his voice neither angry nor frustrated despite my unfortunate training incidents, "You are ready for a real sword."

My mind raced hard upon hearing Piandao's announcement. Would he give me one of his swords? It would be so great to wield a sword designed by a master! However, my bubble was burst instantly when Piandao refused. "Your sword is an extension of yourself, so tomorrow you will make your own sword," he insisted.

A flurry of emotions rushed through my head. On one hand, I was excited about this opportunity. Getting recognized by a master was definitely a blessing, even though I probably ticked him off quite a bit at the beginning. But on the other hand, I had zero experience whatsoever in the process of sword-making, so to create one out of scratch was truly alien to me. I had never really been a creative type; heck, even when Appa's life was on the line after being captured by Long Feng, I couldn't even draw a picture of him properly. So wouldn't it mean creating such an intricate weapon out of nothing be a bit much for me? Did Piandao wanted a crooked or curved sword or something like that?

But either way, I was determined not to let him down. For a Fire Nation master, Piandao had been nothing but kind to me, and the least I could do to repay his efforts in introducing me to this art was to try my best. I might distrust the Fire Nation in general, but for one day, I felt I truly bonded with this person. From my journey, I had thoughts about the need to bond with those outside my boundaries, including those in enemy land. Today, I managed to take the first step in meeting Piandao. Now, the only thing I dreaded was to reveal that, on the Day of Black Sun, we would have to fight on opposite sides.

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**Katara's POV**

We gathered nervously at the main hall of this large, palace-like mansion, where the most famous swordsman of the Fire Nation, Piandao, was about to make a speech. A few days ago, when Sokka claimed he wasn't pulling his weight within the group, it was our idea to let him seek out a master of a certain set of arts. We hoped that by having him learn this technique, he could better help us in the war effort.

But we were so surprised at the news Sokka announced when he returned to us. I had to admit that we were bored to tears without Sokka's usually enthusiastic yet slightly sarcastic attitude, so to see him back was truly a breath of fresh air. However, our happy reunion was short-lived, as Sokka requested our help. Master Piandao was apparently very pleased with Sokka's training, and wanted to grant Sokka his first sword. The catch was Sokka had to make it by himself, and Sokka wanted to use the most unusual element he could get his hands on: the meteorite that nearly hit the town.

And as we all sat behind Sokka, who knelt before the master, we heard the tall and poised swordsman speak. "Sokka, when you first arrived, you were so unsure, and you even seemed down on yourself," he began. Personally, it couldn't be more accurate. My brother went through a ton of obstacles, each one challenging him physically and psychologically. All Sokka wanted was a chance to prove himself, so hopefully, with this event, he could finally feel worthy, not just within our group, but to the world.

Turning back to Piandao, I looked on as he described his observations of Sokka during the training period. "But I saw a heart as strong as a Lion Turtle and twice as big. And as we trained, it wasn't your skills that impressed me," he continued, grabbing the sword Sokka made from the meteorite. When Sokka insisted that it was the right element to use, we had to help him haul it to Piandao's mansion. Given this was the Fire Nation, we had to keep any earth bending to a minimum. That meant Aang pushed the rock along with Sokka and I, while Toph did small stomps to ease it along. With all the exhausting effort it took to get this here, I really wondered what the resulting blade would look like.

"No, it certainly wasn't your skill," the master's words snapped me back to reality as he held the scabbard horizontally and across his face. Piandao and his butler were kind enough to allow Aang, Toph, and I to stay overnight at his mansion while Sokka dealt with his sword. Even though we tried not to bother Sokka, Aang and I managed to get a peek into the workshop. Sokka was a bust of concentration, chipping off pieces and placing them in a fire for moulding. I never envisioned Sokka to be creative or artistic, but today he totally surprised me. "I saw creativity, versatility, intelligence," Piandao listed the traits off one by one, "These are the traits that define a great swordsman, and these are the traits that define you." With that, he handed off the unusual sword to Sokka.

I could only beam in pride as Sokka bowed his head, most likely in gratitude. "You told me you didn't know if you'd be worthy, but I believe you are more worthy than any man I've ever trained!" As he finished his assessment, I tried so hard to resist standing up and applauding. With the long way my brother came, I truly believed he deserved every bit of praise Piandao heaped onto him.

But then, Sokka's abrupt about-face on this issue nearly had me banging my head on the floor. For whatever reason, Sokka returned his fancy black sword to the master and revealed his true identity. "I'm from the Southern Water Tribe," he stated, his tone muted and flat, "I lied so I could learn swordsmanship from you. I'm sorry." Sokka, are you stupid? Why did you do that? Had you kept your mouth shut, we would be gone by now! What if Piandao went to the authorities with this information?

Then matters took a turn for the worse when Piandao unleashed his own sword on Sokka. Sensing danger, all three of us sprang into action. This old man might have been Sokka's teacher, but anyone who harmed a member of our team had to deal with all of us. I was about to find the closest water source when Sokka made his second dumb mistake. "No, this is my fight, alone," he stated, waving us off.

Biting my lower lip, I wondered why Sokka was obsessed with going at it alone. He was barking at Aang earlier when Aang isolated himself from us after he snapped out of his coma, why the change now?  
Entering the open courtyard, we saw Piandao and Sokka on opposite sides, staring each other down, framing the sun perfectly between them. I looked on nervously, watching Sokka point his sword determinedly at the master. Growing up with Sokka all these years meant I knew he was going to stay stubborn and bullheaded about this, and would want to continue challenging Piandao even though Piandao was superior to him in every aspect of swordsmanship. Could he even get out of this in one piece?

Before long, the battle was on. Sokka went on the offensive, swinging his blade furiously at his older opponent. However, Piandao was much calmer, blocking each hit effortlessly, almost like he was brushing Sokka aside. Even as Sokka used all sorts of obstacles and terrain, including climbing onto railings, rushing through forests, kicking off a wall, Piandao seemed to be ready for him. It almost felt like the master read Sokka's mind entirely. But then again, given Piandao trained Sokka, should it be surprising that he knew Sokka's moves and tendencies? Now I was the one with a brain freeze here!

By the time Sokka returned from his mad romp through the woods, it was clear that he wasn't even facing Piandao. Rather, he was running for his life. From the corner of my eye, Piandao took a shortcut out of Sokka's sight and was about to blindside him. You better watch out, Sokka! He's about to swing that sword at you again. My body was tense as Sokka slid under Piandao's sword, barely missing having his nose sliced off. Rebalancing himself, Sokka slammed his blade into the ground and threw up a huge cloud of dust, covering Piandao's face. Maybe this was Sokka's chance to escape!

Then, in true Sokka fashion, he tiptoed himself right into a stray tree branch. The cracking sound alerted Piandao's ever attentive senses. Pointing his blade right at my brother, he lodged it right into the hilt of Sokka's sword, swishing and swinging it until the black space sword was no longer in Sokka's hands. With Sokka totally disarmed, Piandao knocked Sokka down and pointed his sword at him. From our position, it looked like it was the end of the battle for my brother.

Immediately, Aang, Toph and I leaped from our positions, ready to take on the Fire Nation swordsman. He might be a great fighter in his art, but I was pretty sure that he never had to deal with three master benders simultaneously before. Just as I thought about how to attack his weak points, Piandao raised a hand and halted us. "I think I'm a little old to be fighting the Avatar," he declared, easing his stance.

We could only look on as Piandao explained that he knew Sokka wasn't from the Fire Nation since the beginning, claiming that Sokka ought to have given himself a more common name, like Lee. Yet the most surprising thing was Piandao's true objective in teaching an outsider, someone not from the Fire Nation, swordsmanship. "The way of the sword doesn't belong to one nation," he described, "Knowledge of the arts belongs to us all." That was when I realized that Piandao wasn't the stereotypical Fire Nation man that we often envisioned. Rather than being angry, hot-headed, and only concerned with fighting, he was open, tolerant, and knowledgeable. The astute observations he made of Sokka and sagely ways in which he taught my brother showed how truly enlightened he was. Maybe it was too early to call him an ally, but perhaps if the Fire Nation was defeated, he was one person we could turn to in rebuilding the world.

By the time we were finished, Piandao returned the black sword to Sokka, telling him to train on his own. As we left the mansion, Piandao offered up his encouragement, "If you stay on this path, I know that one day, you will become an even greater master than I am." With that, the two bowed at each other, before the butler escorted us out. As we stepped through the main gate, the large man handed a Pai Sho tile with a white lotus on it, claiming it was a souvenir to let Sokka remember Piandao. I wasn't sure why he chose a Pai Sho tile, but I was certain they would cross paths again in the future.

Whatever the case, I was very proud of my brother. Not only did he enrich his own background, he made a new friend and ally, one that he could look up to for the rest of his life. While it was true that Sokka looked up to Dad a lot, I felt it might have limited his vision, to the point where Dad became the sole source he relied upon to succeed. With Piandao now inspiring him, hopefully Sokka could find his own way and carved his own path. With one more new skill at his arsenal, who knew how talented he might become?

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**Sokka's POV**

"I'll lead the invasion force," I decided, placing my helmet squarely on my head. The invasion was downright hellish as we approached the Fire Nation shore with only our ragtag team of Earth Kingdom allies and limited weapons. It was agreed upon by all that it would be the invasion team that took on the Fire Nation frontline defenders, giving Aang enough time to fly into the palace where he would face a powerless Fire Lord. With the eclipse lasting eight minutes, we figured Aang would have enough time. As long as we stood our ground, nothing could go wrong, right?

But apparently, even with an eclipse on the way, the Fire Nation fought on with unbelievable ferocity. Even when Dad, Katara, and I going up to the cliffs on Appa to take out sentinel towers, the Fire Nation troops there managed to do a number of Dad. With him injured and Katara tending to the wounds, the invasion force was without a leader. Given that I was the one in charge of making the plans, it was only right that the success of this invasion be placed solely on my shoulders. Besides, time was running out, and we could only hold the Fire Nation soldiers off for so long. "The eclipse is about to start and we need to be up that volcano by the time it does," I insisted.

With Dad's permission and encouragement, I climbed back on Appa, leaving Dad in Katara's care. All my life I trusted Katara, and relied on her in times of need. Today, my trust in her was greater than it had ever been. Even in the face of all the hardship, and to an extent disagreements within our group (some of which I instigated), she had been steady as a rock, not willing to break or bend to any challenge. Toph might be the tough earth bender, but Katara had the iron will. Surveying the messy scene before me, with our team scattered all about, I realized I had to make it work. If it wasn't for the Earth Kingdom and the two water tribes, then at least it was for Dad and Katara. Gripping the reins in my hands, I had Appa fly right into the fray and addressed everyone.

The sounds of fiery projectiles and boulders being launched rang through my ears, with the heat penetrating through my armour and making me sweat through my clothing. Nonetheless, I climbed onto the top of the saddle and shouted at the team in disarray. "I want the tanks in wedge formation," I yelled, lifting my arms above my head and forming a wide stretch with my hands, "Warriors and benders in the middle." Hopefully, with that move, we could prevent our foot soldiers from being hurt by Fire Nation shots.

The tanks snaked around and formed the wedge, keeping the foot soldiers in the middle while equipment vehicles lined up behind them. With my troops in place, I was ready to take up the battle up the volcano and into the royal palace. Adrenaline coursed through me as I pulled out my sword, ready to lead the way. Never in my life had I been given such a big mission, and now it was time to put everything I knew to the test. So many visions of Dad, Katara, Piandao, and other important figures raced through my head and I vowed not to let them down. With full energy, I called, "Charge!"

Before long, momentum was on our side as we pressed the Fire Nation troops past their final watch tower and up the mountain. Things were going as planned as I had the tanks realigned to form a semi-circle around the gates that we just passed, putting all our strategic planners in the middle. I was hoping to go through a few more things before we made our final assault up the mountain. Luckily, Katara managed to pull Dad up here on time, and the eclipse hadn't even started yet. Things couldn't be better now, right?

But for some reason, I saw Katara stroll off, followed closely by Toph, who was by my side earlier. Their eyes were fixed to the skies as a glider came swooping down on us. My mouth locked in place as Aang landed, his face filled with disappointment and worry. "He wasn't home," Aang murmured, referring to the Fire Lord, "No one was. The entire palace city is abandoned. It's over. The Fire Lord is probably long gone."

Suddenly, I felt sick to the stomach, my body wanting to regurgitate all the food I ate in the past few days. How could they possibly know we were coming? Did we do all this for nothing? As Aang fretted about where the Fire Lord could have gone, I realized we were in dire straits. But even with the Fire Lord in hiding, I figured he wouldn't have gone far. He should still be close enough to lead the defensive forces. Pulling out a timing device, I told my team we had only ten minutes before the eclipse began. "Ten minutes to find the Fire Lord," I informed Aang, "What do you think?"

At this time, both Katara and Dad raised valid points. While Katara suggested we took the time to evacuate before the fire benders regained power, thereby cutting our losses so we could invade another time, my father believed we should carry on, as all our fighters came here ready to risk everything. Looking at Aang, I saw his head dip, with the lives of all these people in his hands. Given the dilemma he had, the only thing I could assure him was that I would support whatever decision he would make.

The sounds of projectiles and machine movements grew deathly silent as Aang got up. Glaring at the volcano where the capital city was, he insisted that we should still give it a try. Nodding, I brought Toph with me onto Appa, while handing the commands to the invasion force back to Dad. Even though he couldn't battle, Dad was still healthy enough to give commands, so he and Katara would be in charge of things on the ground while we scoured the area for the Fire Lord. Landing about halfway up the volcano, Toph disembarked and pressed her hands to the ground. "There are natural tunnels crisscrossing inside the volcano," she described, "And there's something big, dense, and made of metal deep in the heart of the volcano."

Bending into the bedrock, Toph created a tunnel for us to get in. Even though the underground lair had no sunlight, it was much hotter than the exterior, with lava pools and random eruptions around us. For one part, Aang even had to fly us across a river of flowing magma with his glider. But by the time we reached the metallic door, we could finally get into the bunker, thanks to Toph's metal bending technique. Seriously, I was so grateful to have her around. Whatever choice she made in joining our group, it was good.

After forcing some information out of a military official we ran across down here, we finally reached our destination. But when Aang blasted the doors open with his staff, it was not the Fire Lord we were facing. "I've known about the invasion for months," the oh-so-familiar face of Princess Azula sneered at us. How did they outsmart us this time?

But the humiliation didn't end there, as Azula showed us how dangerous she was even without fire. Snapping her fingers, two Dai Li agents dropped down from the rocky ceiling and faced off against us. With Azula taking nothing but evasive manoeuvre and the Dai Li agents causing just enough distraction to throw us off, we realized our time was running short. As Azula ran out of her chamber and into the passageways, I called to Aang and Toph. "Stop attacking," I shouted, explaining to them that we weren't getting anywhere with Azula, "We don't have a choice. We just have to get out of here and find the Fire Lord on our own somehow." With that, I grabbed Aang and Toph, turning around to leave. Azula could taunt us all she wanted, but we weren't going to address her.

But things took a turn for the worse, as Azula addressed me directly. "Sokka's your name, right? My favourite prisoner used to mention you all the time," her arrogant voice echoed through the walls, making sure every word reached my ears, "she was convinced you were going to come rescue her. Of course, you never came, and she gave up on you!" Those last words bounced off the rocks, and slammed me right in the face.

My body lost all control as I charged at Azula, pinning her to the wall. She had that disgusting smirk on her face that I would love to carve off with my bladed club, and I would love to see her pay for hurting the one I cared about the most. "Where is Suki?" I demanded, my breath hissing through clenched teeth. How sadistic could Azula get?

To no one's surprise, Azula refused to answer, only flashing her grin that made me want to rip apart her face even more. The Fire Nation, if it was to be ruled by this woman, would turn into the cruellest empire in the history of the world. How could anyone imagine what would happen had she gotten power, or at least enough influence to the next Fire Lord, presumably Zuko? "Where is Suki? Answer me!" I demanded again, my cheeks squeezed to the point of soreness, "Where are you keeping her?" Even with Aang and Toph begging me to stop, I couldn't let it go. Azula, you just keep grinning, because once I was through with you, you wouldn't be smiling ever again.

That turned out to be the biggest miscalculation on my part. Azula lifted a foot and kicked her deadly blue fire at me. I felt a tackle from behind, shoving me out of the way. Breaking free from her position, Azula turned and tauntingly told us of her father's location, claiming he would be more than willing to see us. As her footsteps and shadow faded away, I knew I made a huge mistake: I just cost us the invasion. "I fell for it. I used up all our time," I cried out in worry and shame, "And now it's too late."

Trudging out from the underground, we saw the seriousness of the situation. A fleet of gigantic airships took off into the skies, heading straight for the capital. We got onto Appa and flew as quickly as we could, warning the others to retreat immediately. "If we can make it to the submarines, then maybe we can get away safely," I suggested.

Aang and Katara volunteered to take Appa to slow down the attackers while we raced down the volcano. Throughout my mind, I thought about what went wrong. It was a nearly foolproof plan, but it all fell apart because Azula somehow found out. And even if she was stalling, I allowed my emotions to get in the way. Even though I knew letting my emotions be involved would cloud my judgment, I couldn't help but think about Suki, who we hadn't seen since Ba Sing Se. Somehow, just when I thought the issue would not re-emerge, it was brought back to the foreground, at the most inconvenient time.

As bombs rained down on us, shaking the foundation of the bedrock, I could only imagine the strength of our foes. Not only was the Fire Lord the main culprit, apparently Azula was also a force to be reckoned with. She had a way to deal with people, using what they were weakest against on them in order to control their minds. With everyone all flustered, it exposed their weak points to her, in which she could take full advantage of and swooped in for the kill. If we included Zuko into the picture, assuming he was on their side, then there was very little we could do other than run.

Then, as suddenly as the rumbling began, it halted. Except for the steady hum of the airships' engines passed above us, there was an eerie silence. Heading straight for the beach, we realized their goal: the submarines. The Fire Nation not only wanted us defeated, but to the point where we couldn't escape. With nothing left, I insisted that we stood our ground and fought to the very end. "We have the Avatar. We could still win."

But then, my father limped to the foreground and made a startling decision. "You kids have to leave," he instructed us, "You have to escape on Appa together. You're our only chance in the long run." My stomach sank once more as I realized what that meant. The adults would stay behind and surrender to the Fire Nation. With the Fire Lord and Azula around, could they even be safe after this? What if anyone got hurt, or killed?

Explosions at the submarines soon wiped out whatever doubts I still had. With the subs nothing but burning wreckage, we brought Appa to the front and allowed any young ones to board. Teo, the paraplegic son of the Mechanist (who helped me design all these inventions), Haru, who was imprisoned with Katara earlier in our journey, and The Duke, the youngest Freedom Fighter, boarded the bison. As Toph and Aang got on as well, Dad approached Katara and me. "We've lost today, but we've never been this close," he told us, tears threatening to spill out, "We tasted victory, and that counts for something."

There was not a dry eye as Katara and I boarded Appa. Aang turned to the group and thanked everyone for their strength and courage, and promised to make it up to them all. Even though he did the speaking, I realized it was something that applied for me as well. I was the head planner of the invasion, so the responsibility of its success was solely on my shoulders. For this to fail, I must take the blame, and the only way I could rectify this mistake was to ensure this sacrifice was not in vain. For the pain my father and all the other fighters must go through in the near future, I vowed to help end this war. It wouldn't be easy, with Azula standing in the way, but for everyone's sakes, it must work.

________________________________________

**Sokka's POV**

"Line the prisoners up for the warden!" A guard barked loudly as I hustled up to the gondola station. The strangest twist of events got me here, in the highest security prison in the Fire Nation, the Boiling Rock. After our defeat on the Day of Black Sun, we fled to the Western Air Temple, which was carved into the cliff side of a huge canyon. Aang was intent on going back to the original plan of learning fire bending, but we had no one to teach him. Then, from out of nowhere, Zuko popped up and offered to teach Aang. I admitted that, just like Aang and Katara, I didn't trust Zuko, given his past history with us. What if his offering was another trap to catch Aang? He already got Katara in Ba Sing Se, so what guaranteed he wouldn't repeat himself here?

Then the strangest thing was, the Combustion Man came back. Zuko kind of revealed that the mercenary was his idea to capture Aang, but now he somehow had a change of heart. Even though we were bombarded by Combustion Man's mind fire blasts, I did catch a glimpse of Zuko helping us. When the battle was over, Aang was convinced to accept Zuko, and brought him into our group. I told Aang that no matter what decision he made, I would support him, hence I allowed Zuko in too. At first, it was quite awkward having this former enemy around. I doubted we trusted each other that much, but soon enough we got used to each other. Heck, Aang even went on a trip with only Zuko to learn fire bending, and that ended up well. So why not keep Zuko?

But with Zuko around, that brought up another painful memory: the failure on the Day of Black Sun. I wasn't sure if Zuko was involved in the battle, but I knew many of our fighters were taken prisoner by the Fire Nation. I had always said that the responsibility of this failure rested solely on my shoulders, and with Zuko around, I could get more information on where they could be held, and how I could free them. But instead of letting me go alone, Zuko offered to come with me. It was a shocking sight, but Zuko was upset that I wasn't thinking things through. Hey, things went poorly during the invasion, even when I plotted out every detail. So why not change things up?

"Welcome to the Boiling Rock," the cruel and arrogant voice of the warden snapping me back to attention, "I'm sure you've all heard the rumours about our little island. But I just want to tell you, that they don't have to be true, as long as you do everything I say." Originally, our plan to smuggle into the prison using their staff's uniforms worked, and we actually found one person I hadn't seen in a while: Suki. Originally, we had an escape plan, hatched with the help of a prisoner. But when I heard new prisoners were arriving, I opted to stay, even when Zuko's disguise was now busted and there would be extra security around him and Suki.

And indeed, in this new line of prisoners, standing at the very last position, was a tall, blue-eyed man with familiar water tribe braids. Even though he was in prisoner garbs and his hands were shackled, I could still see the pride of the Southern Water Tribe in his body. My gut instinct paid off again, as staying here meant I truly got a chance to see my father. Even as the bitter old warden was teeing off on him, mainly by yanking Dad down to the ground via the handcuffs, Dad still managed to pull a reversal on him by using the hand chain to trip up the warden. I tried so hard not to split my sides as the angry warden barked at the prisoners to go off while rubbing his body in pain. It was a message to the Fire Nation that even when they won this round, there was still a long battle to go.

I followed the guards leading Dad through the dim hallways of this vast prison. This castle-like structure had guards on every floor, high-security shut-down procedures at every cell, and watchtowers at almost every corner, leaving very little room for blind spots. With the smouldering hot water around the island, there was no way anyone could get out without getting spotted or killed. If I wanted to break Dad, Suki, and Zuko out of here, I better come up with something good. Maybe if I got a chance to speak to Dad, we could figure something out?

But Dad was more than alright, as he almost gave me a beating when I entered his cell still in costume. After I revealed my identity and why I was here, we began plotting our escape. I found out that even though the invasion failed, most of the combatants were alright, held in a separate prison in the Fire Nation capital. My father was only sent here because the Fire Nation authorities singled him out as the ringleader of the group. He told me that the Kyoshi Warriors were alright as well, meaning so far none of the lives at stake were harmed yet. With that, it was time to plot.

"Well, Suki is here with us, and Prince Zuko came with me here to help out," I explained. My father was stunned that I managed to get the son of the Fire Lord on our side, but really I was grateful for Zuko's help more than anything. To me, he made a full redemption for himself, even in the face of all the internal turmoil. Not only was he now a fugitive, he also left behind two people he truly cared about: his girlfriend Mai, and his uncle Iroh. He told me he originally wanted to free Iroh from prison before coming, but by the time he got there, Iroh was already gone. Without his uncle's guidance, and only a war balloon to follow us, Zuko was really on his own. But with how dedicated he was to restoring both his own honour and the honour of his family and nation, I was truly moved by that. Now, if only I could restore my honour by breaking Suki and Dad out.

"So you guys originally came with a war balloon, but was destroyed when you crashed it into the water," Dad began, listing off the possibilities. I also told him of an escape plan hatched with a prisoner named Chit Sang, which involved using a cooler, a chilled chamber for punishing unruly prisoners, as a boat to sail out of here. But when the new prisoners (the batch that included Dad) arrived, we abandoned the plan. "Well, other than the gondola in which I came in, I can't think of any other method to get out."

I cupped my chin as thoughts raced through my head. The gondola was certainly an option, but with the boarding tower being the highest point in the prison, not only was it difficult to get to, it would be a perfect place for the guards to attack us. "How about we use the gondola, but take a staff member hostage?" I suggested.

"Not just any staff member," Dad chimed in, "But the warden himself." I could see his logic here, as capturing the prison leader would make things a big mess. With no one giving orders, there was no way they could prevent us from escaping. "But we must have a distraction, just so we can catch the warden off guard," Dad added.

I thought back to the last plan involving the cooler. Zuko was the one who was placed inside that thing, just so he could undo all the connections. The only reason he was thrown in there was because he started a prison fight, so maybe another brawl would do the trick? "How about a large-scale prison riot," I proposed, "If it involved enough people and pulled in enough guards, maybe nobody would pay attention to the warden?"

Dad thought about it for a while, and nodded his head. I was more relieved than anything else when he approved, given my last failure. Personally, even I had little faith in myself after botching the invasion. If anything happened to the invasion team, it would be their blood on my hands. But for Dad to give me his vote of confidence even after this mess, I was really touched. "I'll have to gather Suki and Zuko, but I'll try and get all the people out into the courtyard. We'll keep in touch there." With that, I placed my helmet back onto my head and slipped out of Dad's cell.

It took me a while to get through to Suki and Zuko, plus an unwanted distraction where Chit Sang was forced by the warden to identify the guard that helped him escape. Luckily, Chit Sang didn't squeal on me, instead pointing to another guard. With that out of the way, I promptly went to the control room and convinced them to open the doors. They didn't need to know anything, other than warden's orders. With that sadistic old man in a bad enough mood after a near escape, did anyone dare to question him? Or should I say, did anyone dare to question me "quoting" the warden?

As people gathered in the courtyard, we tried everything to start a riot. Dad even resorted to shoving prisoners around, but to no avail. It wasn't until the arrival of Chit Sang, who again got involved in our escape plans, did things start to go our way. By the time Zuko showed up, we were ready for action. "All we need to do is grab the warden and head to the gondola," I informed him, pointing up several floors on the tower.

That's when I realized the big mistake, as I had no idea how to get to the warden, who was at the tower on the other side of the riot! "I thought you told me it's okay not to think everything through!" I hissed, trying to defend myself from Zuko's criticism. First he told me I over-planned, and now he slammed me for not planning? Gee, Zuko, when would you learn to make up your mind?

But before anyone could say anything else, Suki got to work. In the most amazing display of agility and acrobatics, she raced through the pit on top of prisoners' heads, scaled the floors via pipes and railings, and disabled the guards surrounding the warden. By the time we reached the gondola, nobody was bothering us. Zuko even disabled the switch after setting the cab in motion, just so the staff couldn't stop us. Boy, the former Fire Nation heir to the throne was really stealing my limelight, wasn't he? Maybe I ought to do something on his biggest moment, like his coronation, just to get it back!

But there was no preparation for the next move, as two girls that Zuko identified as Ty Lee, the chi-blocking acrobat, and Zuko's own sister Azula, shot their way up the cable and onto our cab. Luckily, I brought my fancy space sword with me, meaning I could help Suki and Zuko out when they battled. With Suki insisting that she took on Ty Lee alone, I turned my eyes to Azula, who stared down Zuko with that arrogant gaze. I was bested by Azula's stalling tactics and mind games back in the underground chamber, but it wouldn't work here. With advanced sword techniques under my belt and Zuko supposedly getting inspired by some funky dance learned from the dragons, I figured us two would be an unbeatable team. Go ahead, Azula, give us your best shot!

Before long, a jet of blue flame shot from Azula's feet, sweeping a wide curve to us as we leaped out of the way. But even with the stronger firepower, Zuko was not at all worried. He blocked shot after shot, and even returned fire to Azula. Trying to match the timing Zuko set, I advanced with my sword during the times Zuko reloaded, giving Azula a double dose of attacks. To our surprise, the Fire Nation princess that escaped the grasps of three people on the Day of Black Sun was now on the defensive, even nearly falling off the gondola once! Maybe, if we kept it up, we could be home free!

But I celebrated too soon, as the gondola screeched to a halt. There was a deathly silence, with the heat from the lava pools underneath us smothering our bodies. It wasn't until a scream from Ty Lee stating that the prison guards were cutting the line that things became hectic. There was no escape from here, and unless the cable kept moving, we were about to take a really hot swim. Now I knew what the ingredients to a pot stew must have felt when they were being boiled. I wondered who would eat me, and how I tasted.

Then the most shocking news came when the gondola suddenly moved again. Zuko had to squint through his good eye, but told us it was his girlfriend Mai who fought off all the guards. I had no idea why she would do that, but it was a pure stroke of luck. I knew this meant a lot for Zuko, as he had a messy break-up with her after he left the capital on the Day of Black Sun. But for her to still do this, most likely for his sake, then I knew there was another good heart in the Fire Nation. Perhaps, if we did win the war, we ought to get Mai on our side as well, just to be more inclusive in the new world.

As the gondola reached its destination, we raced off the cab, with my father throwing the tied-up warden back. The bitter old man claimed he never had an escape during his whole career here, right? Well, his record was broken now! But he should consider himself lucky, since he lost a battle to two Southern Water Tribe geniuses. You didn't get too much opportunity to witness that, so soak it in, would you?

________________________________________

**Piandao's POV**

"Hello, Sokka," I greeted my former student here at the now broken outer wall of Ba Sing Se. Never had I expected Sokka to appear here, in the middle of the night. But I knew he was always special, and always had a chance to make his mark on history. That was why, even though his visit was unexpected, he was welcome.

Looking around him, I could see several others with him, including his travel mates; his sister Katara, and their blind but skilled earth bender Toph. But there were two new members as well; the Fire Prince Zuko, and a female dressed in summer style Fire Nation clothing. "That's Suki," Sokka introduced me to her, "She's someone I met early on in my journey, and Zuko and I recently broke her out of the Boiling Rock."

I cocked an eyebrow, not realizing how great a feat that was. The Boiling Rock was the highest security prison in the Fire Nation, and escape was virtually impossible. But for Sokka to not only penetrate in, but freed a prisoner was unbelievable. Well, I always knew Sokka had a unique way of thinking. Even when his plans were random or his execution was flawed, he managed to do so in a way that still got him to his goals. So, with his group intact, perhaps he was now turning to the bigger goal of uniting the world.

As we marched back into the makeshift campsite, I explained to Suki how I, along with all these masters of the ancient arts, gathered together. "We're all part of the same ancient secret society, a group that transcends the division of the four nations," I showed her the three others with me, which included the renegade fire bending master Jeong Jeong, the Northern Water Tribe's esteemed water bending instructor Pakku, and the king of the semi-autonomous region of Omashu Bumi. For us, the world was never about wars or fighting, and there was never such a thing as automatic superiority over someone else. To us, life had always been about philosophy, knowledge, and the pursuit of wisdom. That was why, with the senseless destruction the Fire Nation was about to cause, just as Sozin's Comet arrived, we had to take action.

Luckily, the kids were also looking for the same man who summoned us, the Grand Lotus, or the leader of the Order of the White Lotus, Iroh of the Fire Nation. After a quirky question from Bumi, ever the crazy one, to Sokka, the beginning-to-be-crazy one, on the whereabouts of their lemur Momo, to which Sokka replied he was with Aang, we headed off. Even though Bumi raised a seemingly irrelevant point, it did get me quite concerned to hear that the Avatar wasn't with them. With time running out for him to stop the Fire Lord, and the Order of the White Lotus focusing solely on Ba Sing Se, we had to find another way to deal with the overall problem.

As Bumi lowered a slab of rock, revealing our camp to the kids, I could tell Prince Zuko was very uncomfortable. Even in the darkness of the night, I could see him fidget and glance around nervously. "Where is he?" he murmured, more to himself than to me.

I led him to the large tent at the end of the formation. "Your uncle is in there, Prince Zuko," I informed him, leading him to the tent. I could sense how helpless Zuko was at this moment, with nothing more than emptiness inside him. I knew how he felt right now, given that I was an orphan as well, but I realized that to conquer one's fear, one had to face it head-on, sometimes alone. So for Zuko, I would give him the same advice I gave Sokka: he must continue this journey alone. Only by conquering one’s fears and weaknesses could one reach the highest level of accomplishment in whatever he chose to pursue.

Speaking of Sokka, I hadn't gotten too much of a chance to catch up with him. I heard from my butler Fat and the other Lotus members about some things they had in mind for defeating the Fire Lord, only to be devastated on the Day of Black Sun, when it was revealed that the Fire Lord had already known about the plan. I knew this would really hit Sokka hard, as I doubted he ever had to shoulder this large a load before. With the fate of the world in his hands, it must have been hard for Sokka to bear.

But at the same time, I knew Sokka was a survivor, and had the skills to pull through this tough journey. He didn't travel all the way from the isolated Southern Water Tribe to the Fire Nation for nothing. Even with the threat of being discovered by the Fire Nation authorities, he chose to pursue knowledge, and learned the art of the sword rather than ran in fear. To me, this was the ways of a true nobleman, and this was the ways of a true warrior. I was proud of my former student, my best student, in trying to make a difference in the world. I hoped to hear some stories from him in the morning, and maybe gave him some pointers on how to proceed. But for me, just fighting alongside him was a big honour itself, regardless of whether he wanted my help or not.

Yet the next morning brought more hectic activity than I imagined, leaving me no time to speak with Sokka. A huge planning session went on throughout breakfast, with Bumi and Pakku deliberating with me over how to re-capture Ba Sing Se during the time Sozin's Comet was closest to our world. With fire benders at a maximum, they would be very difficult to defeat. We had to plan for every contingency measure possible, including using our own fire benders in Iroh and Jeong Jeong to counter them. But for me, we were pulled on more than one front, with news coming from Sokka's group that a fleet of Fire Nation airships set to scorch the land ready to take off anytime today. And given there might also be a challenge at the capital city, the team would be stretched to the limit. I wasn't sure what the plan might be, but I hoped we could figure this out soon.

By the time I got to speak with Sokka, the plan was decided. The Order of the White Lotus would proceed to Ba Sing Se as planned, but Prince Zuko would go to the Fire Nation capital with Katara to face Azula, Zuko's sister who probably had control of domestic affairs. By sending Zuko there, Iroh gave his nephew a vote of confidence, in that Zuko would take over the throne when the Fire Lord was defeated. As for Sokka, Toph, and Suki, they would be in charge of stopping the airship fleet led by the Fire Lord. After charting out the distance between Ba Sing Se and the airship base, I had just the plan for Sokka. "Nothing runs faster on land or swims quicker than a giant Eel Hound," I showed Sokka the slim, streamline creature he would use to reach the airship base.

As Suki boarded, and helped Toph climb up along the way, I unrolled a map for Sokka. I knew from talking to Iroh that Sokka was a map expert, so I guessed this should be an easy task for him to figure out where it was. "You should be able to intercept the fleet within a day's journey," I explained. I was brimming with pride as I sent Sokka off again, this time knowing he was a mature fighter with courage and honour. Somehow, I knew he would succeed in the task, and the world would be at peace after this battle.

We bowed to each other, ready to head our separate ways, but not before Sokka pulled me into a tight hug. Somehow, I found myself returning the gesture, knowing that it might be the last time I saw my special student. No matter what happened, I would be proud that I met Sokka, and I saw it as an honour to have taught him my skills. With his thinking and determination, I knew he would reach greatness one day. Perhaps today was that day, as Sokka mounted onto the Eel Hound, ready to depart. As Iroh told us all, destiny was our friend today, and we could only stand tall and faced it head-on.

________________________________________

**Sokka's POV**

The airship shot up into the sky, taking us higher in altitude at an alarming rate as I concentrated on the scene before me. We barely made it onto the base on time, with the airships taking off just as we got onto shore. Had it not been for Toph's newly developed earth bending skills, sending us sailing onto the nearest airship with a catapulting piece of rock, we wouldn't have boarded at all. And once we boarded, Toph kept stealing the show by using metal bending to disable the crew, throwing them out of the cockpit and into the ocean below. But I couldn't let Toph hog the spotlight, as I ended with a trick of my own, telling members outside the cockpit that we were throwing a special party for someone on board, before letting them all take a dip. Pretty neat, huh?

But things were far from over, and the situation was about to get a lot worse, thanks to the Fire Lord starting his razing of the land in his lead ship. We were far behind him in the formation, and even going at full speed he was still too far away. The only saving grace was that Aang mysteriously returned, stalling the Fire Lord just enough for us to take action. Inspired by an air slice from Aang, I thought up of a move called the "airship slice" that could let us disable the entire fleet. So, taking the controls from Suki, I focused hard on the difficult manoeuvre and aimed for the airship formation.

Once I judged that we got enough altitude, it was time to pull off the final part of this move. Pushing the engines to the limit, I took a deep breath, and made a hard left turn on the wheel. The momentum threatened to throw all three of us out the windows, but at least it got us into position. With the fleet in sight and right underneath us, I told Toph and Suki to get to the top immediately. I grabbed Toph by the wrist and led her out, while Suki followed closely behind. "Watch each other's backs," I reminded them as we scaled the ladder. Any moment now, there would be a series of violent collisions.

Before I could say anything, a series of loud crashes jolted the entire airship, causing me to nearly fall off before reaching the top. As I strained to hold onto the now broken ladder, I did everything I could to pull myself up to the top. With my arms all sore and tight, I yanked through the makeshift hole Toph created and immediately grabbed her arm. Waving to Suki, we raced across the top of the airship, hoping to reach the front, where we could leap off once the hits were over. It was an understatement to say it was a bumpy ride, and I was truly surprised that we could still run in these conditions.

But then, the stress on our airship was too much, splitting the body into two. And unfortunately for us, the crack occurred right between Suki, and where Toph and I were. I looked on in horror as Suki fell out of view from us, with only her voice telling us to finish the mission echoing through the sky. My heart sank as she disappeared from view. Was this yet another sacrifice of a loved one that I had to go through? I saw Yue die in my arms back at the North Pole, and now the same happened with Suki? How many more people close to me must die before my job was done?

Then another huge jolt snapped my attention back. The front piece of the now shattered airship Toph and I were on slammed into another one, sending us flying off into the air before crash-landing hard on the ship below us. Rolling several times, my only thought was to protect Toph, not just because she was truly blind due to the lack of earth around, but because I didn't want another death. There was enough blood on my hands, and those who perished certainly didn't deserve that fate. There was a whole new world to be created after this was over, and anyone who put effort into making that new world a reality ought to be there to savour the fruits of their labour. As I held Toph tight, preventing the debris from falling on her, I desperately thought of an escape route.

Glancing around, I realized that even with that large crash, things were far from done. With still several airships raining fire below us, we had to account for them first. Once things weren't so bumpy, I grabbed Toph's hand again and raced for the rudder of this current airship. "Metal bend the rudder so it's jammed in the turning position," I instructed Toph, "The ship will spiral and slam into the others."

With determination, Toph marched up to the rudder and pushed her palms onto the large metallic piece. I watched on nervously as the rudder tilted little by little, proud of Toph for thinking up of such an interesting technique but also worried about time. It wouldn't be long before the airship fleet's crews figured out what was going on, and that would mean a firestorm coming down on us. Could we save the barbecued meat for later?

And indeed, as the airship fishtailed and slammed into those around it, some crew members did pop their heads up. Sensing the danger, I grabbed Toph again, pushing her away from the two fire jets roaring in our direction. Right now, there was nowhere to go but down, and the only thing I could hope for was a softer fall. Taking a deep breath and pulling out my sword, I took Toph and leaped from the top of the airship, imbedding my blade onto the side of the hull and skidded downward. I had no idea where we would land, but hopefully it wouldn't be a long fall.

I was met with a stinging sensation throughout my body, the pain more intense than anything I had ever experienced before. With my body near paralysis and a dangling Toph holding onto my arm with nothing but air underneath her, it was very precarious. My sword implanted itself just before me, stabbing into the ground right between my two feet as two fire benders appeared from my either side.

Looking around nervously, there was virtually no option for me, other than to try knocking them both out at the same time. As the fire benders prepared their flames in their hands, I reached to my back and fetched my boomerang. This item had been in my arsenal even before I left the Southern Water Tribe, and now I could only hope it would be reliable one last time. As I took aim, my foot edged closer to the sword, which I hoped to use on the other fire bender. There was only enough time for one shot, and I had to make it count.

I flicked my wrist to fire the boomerang at the soldier on the platform to the right of me at the same time I kicked the sword out of the ground. I didn't even bother seeing where the boomerang went, with only a pained grunt from the Fire Nation soldier telling me that it hit its target. Catching the sword by the hilt, I tomahawked it at the solider on the platform to my left, slicing the standing room off completely and leaving that person hanging off the airship by the rope on his back. With my objective complete, I could only lament the loss of my two most trustworthy and powerful weapons. "Goodbye, space sword," I mourned, watching the shiny black blade fall into the water below.

And just when I thought things couldn't go worse, a line of Fire Nation troops gathered at the deck of the ship, watching Toph and I hang helplessly off the platform. With all my weapons gone, I realized our fates were pretty much sealed. As I felt Toph's fingers starting to slide from my hand, I was ready to bid farewell. "It looks like this is the end," I sighed in defeat. I guessed no matter how many times I escaped death, my luck was bound to run out. Maybe Yue and Suki could save a spot for me in the Spirit World when Toph and I entered. After all, I had been there before, so maybe the spirits would welcome me back? As long as Hei Bai didn't keep me from using the bathroom while I was there, I wouldn't think it was so bad.

With one final jolt, my body dropped overboard, sending Toph and I both into freefall. But instead of a painless death, my fall was cut short by an impossible slam into another metallic piece. This time, my left leg took the brunt of the hit, and I lost all ability to move. As I howled in pain while searching for Toph, I was in awe of what happened. This was another Fire Nation airship, but it seemed completely intact. "What happened?" I heard Toph's voice demand from somewhere behind me.

I looked up and there was Suki, standing at the rudder of the airship looking triumphant. I didn't know how she did it, but not only did she survive the fall, but she took over a second ship and used that to find us! Maybe our luck wasn't running out after all! Hopping down from her position, she helped me to my feet. "Are you guys alright?" she asked, pulling my arm over her shoulder while grabbing Toph with her other hand.

I looked on as Suki guided us down to the deck, hoping Aang was holding his own against the Fire Lord. Our goal of disabling the fleet was complete, and now Aang had to do his job. My injury, the lack of weapons for Suki, and Toph probably not lasting long against a comet-enhanced fire bending Fire Lord, didn't put us in the best position to help him. But knowing Aang, and how much he went through, I knew he would succeed. Even though he had qualms about killing the Fire Lord's life, I believed Aang had what it took to defeat him. With one last attempt to locate Aang failing, I limped into the airship.

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**Sokka's POV**

"Today, this war is finally over!" Zuko's clear voice boomed across the wide courtyard of the Fire Nation palace. I couldn't help but beam with pride as my former enemy, the same one who humiliated me by invading my village and kicking me aside, addressed the entire world. Now that I thought about it, this was truly a strange twist of fate. It was this former enemy who changed his ways and opted to join us in defeating his father and restored balance to the world. I finally caught a glimpse of Aang at the final battle, with him somehow removing Ozai's bending without killing him. Now that the "Loser Lord" was no longer a threat, it paved the way for better things to come.

As the cheers died down, my attention returned to Zuko, who promised to restore the honour of the Fire Nation, both for his uncle Iroh and for all people of the world. "The road ahead of us is challenging. A hundred years of fighting has left the world scarred and divided," Zuko continued, making me realize how much I had changed too. When Zuko mentioned division, I realized my own short-sightedness and tunnel vision also contributed to it. For example, before my journey, I wouldn't accept women being in combat roles, let alone those with disabilities such as blindness. Also, anyone belonging to or allied with the Fire Nation were enemies to be treated with full suspicion.

But now, I found myself opening up, being much more receptive to things around the world, rather than rejecting them completely. Katara, Suki, Yue, Toph, even Zuko's girlfriend Mai, all showed me how females could dominate in battle. Heck, one female, the acrobat Ty Lee, who stalked us with Princess Azula, joined the Kyoshi Warriors, with Suki and her group welcoming her unconditionally. If Suki could accept a Fire National into her team, then it was only right I did the same. Master Piandao was the first person got me bonding with fire benders, followed by seeing Zuko and his uncle reconcile. I always had a hunch that they would be who I must rely on to reconcile with the world. So if Suki could do it, then I must try as well. I couldn't let her show me up again, right?

Zuko seemed to have read my mind, as he declared his role in making sure the world was balanced again. "But with the Avatar's help, we can get it back on the right path, and begin a new era of love, peace, and hope." With that, Zuko got onto his knees and allowed the Fire Sage to place the ceremonial headpiece onto his head. We cheered as now Fire Lord Zuko brought Aang, who was with him on stage the entire time, into the courtyard to intermingle with the people. From what I heard, this was the first ever Fire Lord coronation that involved anyone other than fire benders. Zuko also wanted to hold a reunion party at Ba Sing Se, where Iroh reopened his new tea house after reclaiming the city for the Earth Kingdom. Zuko wanted to meet with the now-repatriated Earth King, which would be the first bilateral talks between the two heads of state in over a century.

And that was where I found myself, sitting in Iroh's tea shop doing a traditional Earth Kingdom style painting. Utilizing art techniques Piandao taught me, I tried to capture the moment of everyone relaxing peacefully, while adding in some events that we went through together. "Zuko, stop moving," I scolded the new Fire Lord busy serving tea to our group, "I wanted to do this painting so we'd always remember the good times we had together." After this party, we were about to go our own ways. Zuko and Mai had to meet with the Earth King, while Suki would return to Kyoshi Island to train Ty Lee. Toph was content with just traveling around places in the Earth Kingdom that she hadn't been to before. She wanted to teach metal bending to earth benders one day, and travelling the Earth Kingdom was her way of scouting for students. She even claimed she might return to the Wulong Forest and searched for my sword. How neat would that be? If she succeeded, I would throw a huge party at the South Pole for her.

But for Aang and Katara, they planned to help restore the former Fire Nation colonies to the Earth Kingdom. Katara was originally torn between that and restarting water bending at the South Pole, but Aang reminded her that Master Pakku was already there. He found Gran Gran again and they settled their differences after sixty years. They ended up marrying each other, meaning Pakku was now my new grandfather. I didn't understand why he wasn't pleased with the term "Gramp Gramp" or "Gram-Pakku" but I was glad he found happiness after all. Pakku told me Northern Water Tribe benders, male and female, were willing to train in the Southern Water Tribe style of bending, even though they had no experience before. The other Southern Water Tribe individuals were willing to take on whatever role possible to help the tribes unify once more. One such individual was a girl around Katara's age called Wave. Katara and I met her several times in the past, but for some reason we never called her by her real name. In fact, I didn't even recall why she went by this nickname. Maybe it was her dark brown wavy hair, or maybe it was her proficiency in the water, especially during times with stormy waves. Somehow, her all-mighty far-seeing blue eyes with the strange piercing glance could let her navigate through the roughest waters with little help.

"Why did you give me Momo's ears?" Katara's unimpressed tone snapped me back to reality. Before long, everyone took shots at my drawing, claiming I portrayed them unrealistically. Even as I tried defending my art, I found myself enjoying their good-natured ribs, realizing that this was what friendship was all about. This small talk was the first step in worldwide reconciliation, and only by communicating and enjoying each other's company would we ever achieve that. As the jokes mounted on, there was only one thought left in my mind…

My name is Sokka. That was my story. Those were my rites of passage.


	22. Katara, Part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Each character grows up with a set of experiences unique to themselves. Watch each person describe what went through their minds and how they changed as they reacted to the world. These are their stories, these are their rites of passage.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: Michael DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko own Avatar.

**Katara's POV**

"Aang, this is the entire village," I introduced the people I lived and grew up with all my life to the newly-discovered air bender. It was an unusual fishing trip with my bull-headed brother Sokka, to say the least, when instead of finding fish, we ran into a huge iceberg. But once we cracked it open, we found there was a boy trapped inside, barely conscious and probably weak to the point of collapse. Originally, I was hoping to get him some medical help in our village, but then I got the shock of my life.

"Why are they all looking at me like that? Did Appa sneeze on me?" Aang asked, a sense of bewilderment and curiosity laced through his tone. Instead of feeling faint and weak, Aang's first question to me after I freed him was if I wanted to penguin-sled with him. I admitted that I was almost too shocked to answer that question, given it wasn't something someone stuck in an iceberg for who knew how long would ask. But then again, no one had ever seen an air bender for over a hundred years, so maybe there was something to the way they lived life that I hadn't picked up on yet.

My grandmother Kanna, better known to Sokka and me as Gran Gran, told Aang that she thought air benders were extinct, which seemed to be a surprise to Aang. That comment made me have some suspicions about Aang's background. Even as he turned his staff into a glider, amazing the younger kids while freaking out Sokka, I wondered why he seemed so afraid to address any issues on air benders. I knew the last Avatar was born from the Air Nomads, meaning Aang might be our last clue to seeking this person out. With the Fire Nation devastating the world, any hint on where to find this Avatar would be helpful. Now, if only I could get Aang's head out from our igloo, after he crashed his glider into the snow in his latest showing off attempt.

"Come on, Katara, you have chores." Gran Gran's voice sliced into my train of thought just as Aang freed himself from the snow. Aang's carefree lifestyle made me so relaxed so suddenly, almost like my tasks just slipped out into the ocean, never to return. I realized that from the moment I freed Aang from that iceberg, there was a bond between us. I couldn't quite explain it, but even from the way he kept looking eagerly and smiling at me, I felt he was almost going out of his way to get to me. Maybe it was his way of reaching out, and thanking me for saving him. But whatever the case, I would have to deal with Aang after my chores. Hopefully I could get him to answer my questions.

By the time I returned, it was already evening, and it wasn't a pretty sight. Aang was getting the younger kids to play with Appa, using his bison's tail as a slide. This was much to the dismay of Sokka, who wanted to train the children on being warriors and defended the village in case of another Fire Nation attack. "What's wrong with you? We don't have time for fun and games, with a war going on!" Sokka ranted, pointing an accusing finger at Aang, who was lying peacefully on Appa's back.

Aang's reaction pretty much confirmed my theory, as he expressed complete confusion over what was said. There was no way in any situation that someone would be unaware of the war, given that it had been happening for a hundred years now. Unless Aang was stuck inside that iceberg for a hundred years, there was no way he didn't know about it. "You're kidding, right?" Sokka responded, in as much shock as I was. Had Aang really been stuck inside that ice block for that long?

Before Sokka and I had a chance to inquire, Aang zoomed off, excited by the sight of a penguin. I could only stare on incredulously while Sokka asked me if Aang was kidding again. Well, Aang did say he wanted to do some penguin sledding, right? So here was my chance to see what Aang could do. Besides, with him away from everyone's sight, it was a perfect chance to flush some answers out from him. Taking a deep breath, I raced after the young air bender, trying to catch up to his almost superhuman speed.

By the time I caught up to Aang, he was already among the penguins, chasing them down helplessly but also enjoying every second of it. "I have a way with animals," he told me as he somehow floated his way back up from the icy ground. He even took it upon himself to impersonate the penguins, waddling around and squawking like them. I couldn't help but laugh as well. Given that the Fire Nation had been invading our shores for all my life, to the point where my mother was a victim of their attacks, having this carefree visitor to our tribe was truly a breath of fresh air.

Taking the initiative, I approached Aang and asked him if he could teach me water bending, in exchange I taught him how to catch penguins. If he knew the last air bending Avatar, then perhaps he would lead me to that great master. I could then learn water bending from the Avatar, and asked for help in ending the war. Two birds with one stone sounded like a good plan to me. "You're looking at the only water bender in the whole South Pole," I informed Aang. Even though I had friends who were proficient in or with water, none of them could truly bend. The Fire Nation captured all our benders, leaving our village defenceless. Had I not picked up the skill along the way, there was no way this tradition could survive here at all.

But that didn't seem to deter Aang, who claimed he could personally find me a teacher, even if it meant going to our sister tribe in the North Pole, which was on the other side of the world. That offer made me feel a bit uncomfortable, as it meant leaving home for a long time. I had never left the tribe before, so was it really right that I ran off with Aang, in the midst of a war? "In the meantime, can you teach me to catch one of these penguins?" Aang chimed in, his eyes brighter than the light reflecting off the ice.

Smiling back at Aang, I pulled a small fish out from my parka and threw it at the bald boy. As the air bender juggled it in his hands, a swarm of penguins approached him, covering his body entirely. As he giggled along, I sneaked in from behind one and grabbed it by the tail, wrestling it to the ground before calling to Aang again. "Once it's distracted, just grab hold of it," I instructed. I hadn't really been one to do penguin-sledding, but given how Aang seemed to enjoy it, might as well try it out, right?

A wave of excitement washed over me as Aang and I raced down the glacier on our penguins, skimming over the ice in excessive speeds. For a while, the only thing in my mind was the shouts of happiness coming from Aang and me as we raced through the snow, with nothing but powder and flakes hitting my face. The usually cold wind didn't sting at all, offering a sense of familiarity, almost like Aang was some long lost friend who I reunited with just yesterday. All my worries, including that of the war and finding the Avatar, were thrown out as I enjoyed my time with him. It was times like this that I never had a chance to cherish when I was younger, and I hoped to enjoy them right now.

But memories of past battles resurfaced as the penguins skidded to a halt right in front of a large Fire Nation ship. It had been at the South Pole for years now, the result of a Fire Nation raid where our warriors fought back, using water bending to encase the boat on an ice shelf. While nobody had boarded that ship for years, all children growing up were told that there were potential booby traps on that thing, setting off at any second to warn surrounding fire benders of our location. "We're not allowed to go near it," I called to Aang, trying to stop him from getting closer. I understood that Aang was a newcomer to our tribe and one favouring curiosity and adventure, but it really wasn't the best idea.

Aang, however, challenged me to approach the boat with him. "If you want to be a bender, you have to let go of fear," he replied, that wide smile still plastered on his face. I could only wince as he led me up the broken pieces of ice, the shadow of the tall ship looming over us and smothering us completely in darkness. This was a painful moment for the Southern Water Tribe, as that battle led to many of our benders to be captured. I felt totally consumed by the dim interior, almost like I had been taken prisoner myself as Aang and I wandered through the empty corridors. Other than the sounds of steps, there was nothing but an eerie silence in this chilled atmosphere, courtesy of the metal hull.

During the entire time, Aang seemed to be lost in the scene, almost shocked to see all the Fire Nation weapons stored on this abandoned ship. "I have friends all over the world, even in the Fire Nation," he described, his tone hesitant and shaky, "I've never seen any war." That statement alone got me really suspicious, which was compounded by how long he felt he was in the iceberg. "A few days, maybe?" he guessed.

Then it hit me. Not only was Aang out of this world because of his supposedly extinct trait of air bending, but he was out of his time. "Think about it," I explained my logic to him, "The war is a century old. You don't know about it because somehow, you were in that iceberg the whole time!" It seemed kind of awkward to envision this naïve, fun-loving boy as an old man of a hundred and twelve years. But given the circumstances and what he told me, it was becoming more and more likely.

A wave of expression washed through Aang's face as he collapsed to the ground, leaning his back against the wall for support. "I can't believe it," he moaned, holding his head. Perhaps it was hard for him to absorb, especially if it meant most of the people he knew were either dead or very old by now. "Well, I did get to meet you," he stated, a small smile cracking back onto his face. For now, I had to help him through this, Avatar or not. Aang probably wasn't mature enough to face it alone, so I had to support him.

After making sure Aang was feeling better, we got back into the corridors and found a way out. This place was giving me the creeps anyway, so it was best we left before we ran into further trouble. Making a turn at the next opening, a gate suddenly slammed down behind us, blocking our way. All the machinery around us sprang to life, making me desperate for an escape route. "What's that you said about booby traps?" Aang commented amidst the hissing of pumps and ticking of gauges.

Before long, a series of fireworks exploded above us, the feared consequence of this abandoned ship signalling to a nearby fleet occurring as of we speak. With nowhere left to go, Aang and I rushed to the control tower of the ship, looking through the broken windows as another pop and flash flared above. "Hold on tight," Aang hollered, picking me off my feet. Using his air bending to leap through the openings, I could only fret about what might happen. Hopefully, there wasn't a Fire Nation fleet nearby, and all I would get was a slap on the wrist. The last thing we wanted was an invasion, with the tribe weak as it was. As we got back to level ground, we hurried back to the village.

________________________________________

**Katara's POV**

"You can't protect him forever," Sokka pointed out, brushing the snow off of his head. Aang and I got in quite some trouble when Gran Gran and the others found us after our adventure on the abandoned Fire Nation ship. Aang was thrown out of the village for that, and before long a Fire Nation ship arrived at the shore. The team lead, a teen with a huge burn mark on his left eye, demanded to know where the Avatar was. I was quite upset that Aang was banished just like that, but whatever anger I had was soon replaced by fear when the attacker rendered Sokka useless, disarming my brother with his bare hands and prepared to bend fire at the younger children. Did he have no mercy at all?

Luckily, Aang returned to the village, riding on a penguin and knocking the assailant over. What shocked me wasn't the fact that Aang held his own, but that Aang revealed to everyone he was the Avatar. Originally, he went with the Fire Nation so they wouldn't harm our village anymore, but then Sokka and I decided to save him. It was there that we saw Aang display an unbelievable power, catapulting himself out of frigid water after falling overboard, and nearly sinking the Fire Nation ship he was held in. After further discussing with him, we decided to journey together.

"Katara, fire benders were here. You can't pretend they weren't," Sokka's voice sliced into my mind again, bringing me back to this beautiful yet haunting temple. This used to be Aang's home a hundred years ago, but now it was completely barren and dead, with no signs of life from anywhere. Earlier, during our ride on Appa, I told Aang not to have high hopes, given that the Fire Nation might have killed all his people and destroyed all the cultural artefacts. Aang, however, seemed completely oblivious to this, almost like he was certain there was someone familiar here, despite not seeing this place for over a century. Somehow, I was reluctant to break the truth to him, even though I knew it was the right thing to do. What if Aang couldn't handle it, and broke down even more? With the fate of the world at stake, I couldn't risk letting him know yet.

Aang's excited voice pulled me to a statue of an Air Nomad monk. Even though I never met this individual, I could tell he was a wise, sagely man. The statue's details showed the creases in his face, an indication of his age, but also his serene and gentle wisdom as he glanced peacefully at us. "This is Monk Gyatso, the greatest air bender in the world. He taught me everything I know," Aang declared. Hearing Aang speak that happily of his former mentor made me even more determined to hide the truth from him. What if he found out that Monk Gyatso was dead already? And what if he found out Gyatso was killed by the Fire Nation? Aang would be devastated if he knew.

After a quick story from Aang about Gyatso, he led us into a large chamber blocked by a special wooden door. I couldn't quite describe the structure in front of it, but somehow it had something to do with the Avatar. "This is the Air Temple Sanctuary," Aang explained, "There's someone in there I have to meet." Stepping back, he unleashed two jets of air from his hands, letting them shoot into the appropriate slots. A series of nuts and bolts twisted and turned, followed by a loud hiss coming from the centrepiece. The heavy door creaked open, revealing a pitch-black interior. With only my wits guiding me, I followed Aang into the sanctuary, wondering what I would encounter inside.

The scene of a lifetime filled my eyes as the hall was filled with statue after statue of former Avatars. They lined in a neat order that reached several stories high, making the entire room literally one big memoriam of Aang's past lives. "Air, water, earth, fire, that's the Avatar cycle," Aang pointed out, indicating the way each Avatar was lined up. That meant whoever the Avatar was before Aang, they must be from the Fire Nation.

Indeed, Aang was paralyzed before the statue at the end of the line. It was a tall man with long robes and a beard. "That's Avatar Roku, the Avatar before me," he told me just as I snapped him out of the trance. Of course, Sokka had to break the moment by claiming the presence of Fire Nation in Aang's blood was one reason why he wasn't trusted at first, but I realized the greater implication here. If there was a way for Aang to reach into his past lives, he could get the advice needed to save the world.

Suddenly, the presence of a shadow looming from the entrance got Sokka all riled up. Grabbing us, we hid behind the statues of Roku and the earth bending Avatar before him. "Fire bender," Sokka whispered to us from the earth bender statue, "Nobody make a sound." I thought it was completely bogus how he made a big fuss out of some shadow. Did he really think he was serious trying to tackle another attacker after his humiliation?

And to no one's surprise, Sokka's instincts were wrong again, as the so-called fire bender was nothing but a lemur. With Aang getting all excited about having an animal companion, while Sokka wanting to eat that lemur for lunch, they both bolted from the hall. That left me all alone in the sanctuary with the Avatar statutes while the goofballs chased after the animal. Well, at least it gave me some time alone to figure things out. Were there any clues left behind by the Avatars in their statues that might be helpful?

I wandered around for a few minutes, looking through each statue and trying to make sense of all this. Maybe it was time that Sokka had some fun with Aang, given how cynical he had been of all this. I understood that Sokka wasn't a spiritual type, and to be honest, I wasn't either, given all the things that happened in my recent memory. But for now, I knew Aang was our best chance to save the world, even though he could goof off at times. He might still shirk his duties just to play with animals or something like that, but at least I knew that Sokka and I would be there to support him all the way.

By the time I returned to Roku, I saw a strange light emitting from the statue's eyes. I squinted hard, wondering if it might be light reflecting from the outside. But then, every statue's eyes glowed light blue, creating an eerie lightshow within the sanctuary. Thinking hard, I could only recall one situation where this happened before. When Aang was in the ice-cold water, his eyes and arrow tattoos glowed the same way, indicating that whatever Aang was doing right now, it was quite serious. Immediately, I raced out of the sanctuary and back to the exterior, hoping to locate Aang.

As if the bright light emanating from the bottom of the temple, or debris from the now-destroyed roof of that shack wasn't enough, the tornado-like winds whipping around gave it all away. I hustled in as quickly as I could, navigating rocky ledges and snow-covered paths, before seeing an extraordinary but also terrifying sight. Aang was now surrounded by a ball of air, circling and spinning furiously while his almost paralyzed body glowed like the statues. "What happened?" I asked, trying to find Sokka.

Luckily, my brother didn't get blown too far away. A series of fallen rocks blocked his path, letting him hang onto them for dear life while avoiding most other flying debris. "He found out fire benders killed Gyatso," Sokka replied, his volume raised to the point of hoarseness. That triggered the Avatar spirit, which led to this situation.

Biting my lower lip, I advanced forward, my each step taking all my energy as I focused on calming Aang down. At this rate, he would destroy the world faster than he could save it. "Aang, I know you're upset, and I know how hard it is to lose the people you love," I yelled at the levitating boy, all the while straining to keep my balance, "I went through the same thing when I lost my mom." It was one of the darkest days in my life, with the burned body of my mother still resonating in my mind. But if I told Aang, then at least we had something in common, which allowed me to sympathize with him.

My muscles ached as I had to hold on to a nearby piece of debris, but I ignored all that just to continue getting through to Aang. "Monk Gyatso and the other air benders may be gone, but you still have a family," I explained to him. I wasn't sure if he could hear us or not, but I had to try. "Sokka and I, we're your family now!"

Then, to both our reliefs, the wind's ferocity died down, letting Aang slowly sink back to the ground. As he collapsed onto the ground, I raced in to grab hold of him. From beside me, Sokka promised that he and I would do everything to protect Aang, and we both assured Aang that it wasn't his fault. As Aang leaned his head into my lap, I felt my resolve harden even more. Not only must we find Aang a water bending teacher, but we were to make sure he succeeded in his world-saving mission. There was nothing more important to Aang than making sure his legacy continued. With him being the last air bender around, his culture was about to go extinct. Maybe, if we succeeded, we could return the Air Nomads to the world. But for now, Aang was the main focus.

________________________________________

**Haru's POV**

"So you got yourself arrested just to find me? You got guts, Katara, I'll give you that." I commented, seeing the water bender sporting a brown prisoners' uniform over her usual blue tunic. It was on the strangest terms that I met Katara, as she caught me in the ravine behind my town doing something taboo: earth bending. It seemed awfully ironic that I, an earth bender, was forbidden to practice an art unique to my culture, but that was the case for years, ever since the Fire Nation took over our region.

But my secret talent was soon discovered and reported to the Fire Nation, by none other than an older member of my own village, whom I had saved from a cave-in using said powers. Now, I was sitting in an off-shore prison with many of the benders from my village, captured from their last failed attempt to drive back the Fire Nation. The good news was, my father was among them, meaning at least I still had some company. But I guessed that wouldn't last me here forever, would it?

Katara, on the other hand, didn't see it that way. Even when I was with her back in the town, I found her to be an inspiring character, opting to fight the Fire Nation even when the odds were against her, rather than hiding or submitting to them. I told her it wouldn't be easy, given how my father, who taught me earth bending, was captured, but she had a similar story of her own, claiming the Fire Nation killed her mother. While I had earth bending as the last memento from my father, she had a necklace as the last memento from her mother. Perhaps that was the reason behind her strength, and how she urged me to not give up hope, even when things were dire.

But my father would have none of that, as he insisted the main priority was to wait out the war. "Katara, I admire your courage, and I envy your youth. But people's lives are at stake here," he pointed out, even as Katara schemed an escape plan, "The warden is a ruthless man, and he won't stand for any rebellion. I'm sorry."

I looked on nervously as Katara marched uncompromisingly to the middle of the open area, banging a spoon on a pot to get our attention. "You don't know me, but I know of you," she began, her strong voice echoing off the prison's walls. Somehow, when she told us her story of how every child in her village knew of the Earth Kingdom's people struggling against the Fire Nation, I felt a new sense of energy coursing through me. I felt more confident than ever of my abilities, and really wanted to fight the warden and his thugs. "So remember your courage, earth benders! Let us fight for our freedom!" Katara exclaimed, one fist raised high in the air.

Suddenly, I felt the urge to jump to my feet and applaud. For me, Katara just had that way with people. The way she spoke, the way she conducted herself, even the way she posed and walked, they resonated with the weaker ones. I wasn't sure what about her nature enabled her to do this, but it almost felt like her responsibility was to look out for the weak and the young, even though I wasn't weaker or younger than her. If only the rest of our people could feel its energy, then maybe we could truly fight back.

But to my utter shock, it was my father who placed a hand on my shoulder, signalling to me to sit down and not react. I could only grit my teeth as the bell rang, indicating that the prisoners must return to their cells. As I filed back into the interior, I saw a couple of guards escort Katara off into her cell. Katara did so much for not just me, but the rest of the villagers, yet the only thing we could do was shirk from our duty to defend our home? I was ashamed to even be a part of that! Silently, I swore I wouldn't let Katara down, and would do everything to make things right again.

Morning only delivered more shocking news, as now Katara's brother Sokka, and the very person they were protecting, Avatar Aang, arrived right at the rig. There were coal pieces everywhere, the same black stones that we were conquered for. With the Fire Nation navy increasing its appetite for energy, our mining town was the perfect place to control in order to secure the resource. What better way for them to enslave us than to force us to mine this stuff to them? As Fire Nation guards surrounded them, with the cruel warden taunting them to surrender, things were not looking good.

But quitting wasn't part of Katara's vocabulary. Even though I didn't know her well, I knew as long as there was a chance for her to help someone, she would give her full effort. Grabbing a piece of coal, she exclaimed, "Here's your chance, earth benders! Take it! Your fate is in your own hands!" And hearing the warden taunt Katara's every effort, I could feel the momentum shifting towards my body.

I leaped away from my group, darting into the fray before anyone, including my father, could stop me. Twirling two pieces of coal with my hands, I hurled them one after the other at the warden. They made perfect contact, with each plop on the back of his head sounding louder than any battle cry. As I glared at the angry old man, who had an equally angry stare on his face, I was prepared to defend my village and my honour. It was Katara who inspired me to fight, and with her watching, the least I could do was not let her down. You taunted my village, now you must face its entire people.

Katara's words seemed to have inspired the villagers into action, as they blocked the warden's fire blast with a wall of coal. Led by my father, they lined up horizontally and faced off against the warden. "For the Earth Kingdom, attack!" my father shouted. In one swift motion, the entire formation sent coal straight at the fire benders.

Soon enough, we had the guards on the run, just as a large ball of coal was compressed hard and used to dent the walls on the rig. With an opening now available, many of the villagers were ordered to escape while my father and I stayed to tackle the warden. Aang, with his usual creative self, created an air funnel used to propel coal at the warden, keeping him at bay. With so much coal around and beneath him, Dad and I took the chance to bend that coal, lifting the cruel man into the air. As we floated him to the opening, with nothing but water beneath him, Dad sneered, "Don't worry, I hear cowards float." With that, we dropped him into the water, freeing ourselves from the rig.

As we boarded the vessels, I had nothing but admiration, praise, and gratitude for Katara. In her short time with me, she inspired me to do so much. I now realized why she insisted on having me bend, as it established an identity for me. But more importantly, I saw what it meant to be a true leader, and to reach out to others to create a sense of sympathy for them. I knew someday, Katara would be a great leader, and might even lead us to beating the Fire Nation. Even though she had to leave us, I hoped our paths would cross again. I would love to show her what I learned from my short time with her.

________________________________________

**Katara's POV**

"Jet, why?" I asked, completely stunned by the turn of events. Our journey to the North Pole continued to be eventful, mainly with bringing unwanted attention to our group along the way. From being pursued by pirates hired by Aang's original attacker at the South Pole, the exiled Prince Zuko, to being involved in smuggling into the Fire Nation to let Aang meet his predecessor, Avatar Roku, in the Spirit World, the pace of events didn't slow down. It wasn't until we reached this part of the Earth Kingdom that we finally got a break, with a bunch of allies calling themselves the Freedom Fighters offering to give us shelter did things settle down.

But the Freedom Fighters' leader, Jet, was putting me in a very difficult spot. For the time I was here, I trusted and admired him, given our similar histories. Just like me, his family was killed by the Fire Nation, and he wanted to do something to protect others from the Fire Nation's advances. What I was originally told was that Aang and I had to water bend geysers to fill up a reservoir so the Fire Nation couldn't set flame to the nearby woods. But when Aang and I returned to the reservoir, we saw the other Freedom Fighters stacking the dam with blasting jelly, the same stuff they took after raiding a Fire Nation military camp earlier. Surely Jet didn't plan on destroying the whole town, killing all those innocent civilians, just to achieve his goal, right?

But Jet's own words were enough to convince me. "Think about what the Fire Nation did to your mother," he explained. Earlier, Aang tried to fly over to the dam on his glider, only to have Jet confiscate it from him in the last second. Now, with every word, my deepest fears were coming true. "We can't let them do this to anyone else ever again." He turned around to face me, that compassionate and slightly pleading expression that he used on me last night reappearing. For the whole time, I believe Jet due to his noble goals and his dedicated following. But now, I realized his objectives were not just misguided, but twisted. "I thought your brother would understand, but…"

"Where is Sokka?" I demanded, suddenly realizing that Jet might have either imprisoned Sokka, if not downright killed him. During our stay here, Sokka viewed Jet with utmost suspicion, even branding him a thug after one of their missions. I thought it was only because Jet had much better leadership skills than Sokka, but now I found out why: Sokka knew about Jet's actions the entire time. Now I truly regretted not listening to Sokka, as my stubbornness to follow Jet blindly led me to having my own brother be hurt. As Jet leaned his face near me, I did the only thing possible. Reaching for my bag, I whipped out a blast of water and sent him flying back.

Soon enough, Aang and Jet was engaged in combat, with the Freedom Fighters leader snatching Aang's glider and goading Aang into fighting. Aang, in his air bender nature, refused to battle, opting to keep running into the trees while Jet pursued. I could only trudge into the woods, my eyes peeled for the canopy as my knees neared buckling. My stomach twisted and turned, threatening to propel whatever food I ate in the last day back out. How could this have happened? Did I truly become a victim of my emotions, opting to side with Jet because of how attracted I became to him, inadvertently or not? I admitted that at the beginning, I did like him a lot, so did that blind me to the truth?

"No, it couldn't be," I told myself, shaking the thought loose. Jet was a mass murderer, and many were about to die due to his sick scheme. I might have been seduced by his charm earlier, but now it couldn't be clearer. Jet was out for blood, and my lapse of judgment nearly allowed him to get away with it. Now, with every swish of Aang's air attacks, and every swing of Jet's hooked swords, we were seconds away from disaster. Taking a deep breath, I prepared myself for an attack, hoping to disable Jet as quickly as I could. I was angry enough with Jet's reckless plan, so it was time I evened the score.

Aang landed with a hard splat, missing his staff by a hair as Jet came down feet-first beside him. Seeing Jet's hunched back, heaving chest, and death glare, I knew Jet would not stop until Aang was incapacitated, if not downright killed. Looking around, I saw a shallow stream right next to us, and used that to my advantage. Just as Jet made his ominous approach to Aang, I twisted my arms around, and blasted him with the water.

But even as Jet was thrown to the ground, I didn't stop there. Letting my anger loose with the water, I hit him again and again, pinning him against a tree and away from Aang and his staff. Once secured, I unleashed a unique water bending move, breathing into the water and freezing it instantly. Luckily, the temperature around us was cool enough to make this task quicker. I shuddered to think what damage Jet could do if he wiggled free. As Aang struggled to his feet, I confronted Jet once and for all. "I can't believe I trusted you," I stuttered, my voice racked with pain, anger, frustration, and above all, betrayal, "You lied to me. You're sick, and I trusted you!"

Then, out of my expectations, Jet started whistling into the air, giving a distinctive yet familiar call. "You're too late, Katara," he sneered at me, signalling with a tilt of his head to the dam. I could only gasp as the Freedom Fighters departed from the area, with the blasting jelly front and centre at the dam. That's when it hit me: they were going to ignite the dam, and the village was going to flood, despite Jet being immobilized.

Frantically, Aang tried to lift off on his glider, only to fall flat on his face. The rips and dents would take days to repair, meaning he too was out of commission. "Sokka is still out there," Aang murmured, his body still reeling in pain after Jet's last hit, "He's our only chance." Staring at the opening before us, I could only count down to the inevitable, when all the water would rush nonstop to the village downstream.

Things ticked down in slow motion as a fiery arrow sliced across the skies, aiming straight at the dam. The entire time, I felt truly guilty for everything I said about Sokka. I knew I doubted him many times in the past, claiming he didn't have the skills, both observational and analytical, to be a leader. But today, he proved me totally wrong, as I was the one who lacked the right judgment. I let my heart get in the way in dealing with Jet, and now many people were about to lose their lives because of it. Why wasn't I strong enough to resist Jet? Why was I so stubborn and refused to listen to Sokka? Had I been harsher and kept my feelings in check, could all these lives have been spared?

The rush of the water flooding the land soon took over my head, the force of the waves so great that I could feel its mist and rumbling all the way up the hill. As the town became swamped, my worst fears were all but confirmed as Sokka probably didn't make it on time. Thinking about the victims, my anger soon returned. Storming up to Jet like the rapids below, I snapped at him. "Jet, you monster!"

But Jet was defiant, claiming we scored a victory. "The Fire Nation would be gone, and this valley would be safe." His eyes were cold and uncompromising, further accentuating the fact that deep down, he truly was a ruthless killer. Maybe, if my skills in water bending were stronger, I would turn the ice around him into sharp icicles, and stabbed him in the heart with it. I'd like to see how he felt then.

"It will be safe, without you!" A loud voice boomed from behind me. Aang and I both turned, and relief washed over me as a large Sky Bison loomed into view, with a rider clad in blue holding the reins. I didn't know how he did it, but somehow, Sokka made it back to us. "I warned the villagers of your plan, just in time."

As Jet looked on in shock, Sokka explained how everyone in town thought he was a spy, and refused to believe him. Luckily, an old man urged the villagers to listen, and ironically, it was the same old man that Jet attacked in his earlier mission with Sokka. I admitted that I was at fault in that incident too, as Sokka accused Jet of bullying and robbing a civilian. I fell into Jet's trap when he pulled out a knife with poison, claiming the old man was an assassin out to kill him. But now, as everything took its due course, I realized Sokka was right after all, and I was truly ashamed of not believing him.

As we boarded Appa, Sokka gave Jet one last line. "You became the traitor when you stopped protecting innocent people." I could see Jet plead to me, begging me to stay. It was then that I realized what it truly meant to take part in this mission to help Aang. Not only must we always be on guard, fighting off against enemies from all sides, we must also remember to protect the innocent, Fire Nation or not. And the reverse was also true, as we shouldn't let someone who claimed to be our ally to enter too easily, in case they were using us for negative purposes. Jet was a perfect example of how my guard was down when my emotions got in the way, and I now must be extra diligent and observant in the future. Nothing could be worse if more innocents were killed, and the only way we could prevent that was to support each other even more.

I turned back one last time, eyeing the one who misled me the whole time. In a way, I felt really sorry for him, and I could only wonder what led him astray. Even with his parents killed by the Fire Nation, the least he could do was channel that energy into doing something positive. Instead, he chose to feed off of his rage, and turned him into the same thing the Fire Nation was: a heartless, ruthless, killing machine. "Goodbye, Jet," I muttered, just as Appa took off. For me, I hoped I never saw Jet ever again. People like him didn't deserve to help the Avatar, no matter how talented they were.

________________________________________

**Katara's POV**

The storm raged on outside as I cautiously stepped up to the mouth of the cave. The rain battered my body, soaking my clothing through and through as I could barely make out the silhouette of a kneeling Aang in the cavern. We stopped by a fishing port to buy supplies, and Sokka was hired by a local fisherman for temporary help, in exchange for some food and other goods. Unfortunately, the fisherman didn't take it too well that Aang was the Avatar, claiming Aang abandoned the world when we needed him. I tried to stick up for Aang, but my friend merely hopped onto his glider and flew off. Now, with the storm raging, I barely braved the elements and found him here.

"That fisherman was way out of line," I commented, approaching the slouched figure that was Aang. I knew Aang had always been a fun-loving character, and perhaps that carefree nature rubbed people the wrong way. As the Avatar, he was expected to be big and strong, wise and powerful. But as a twelve-year-old, was that really within the normal expectations? Surely there was a reason why Aang appeared to be shirking, even though he wasn't really doing so, right?

"Actually, he wasn't," Aang responded, his voice barely above a whisper. Even though I couldn't see his face, the shadows showed me Aang had descended into an abyss of shame. "I don't want to talk about it," he concluded, sealing his lips.

I kneeled down next to him, seeing Aang's face for the first time. He almost seemed like he was in mourning, his head dipped low and his face stoic. Never in my short time with Aang had I seen this type of sadness before, and I was intent on figuring out why. Placing a hand on my shoulder, I assured him that I would be a willing listener. "I'll try and get a little fire going," I decided, grabbing some nearby rocks and twigs. We weren't going anywhere in this weather, so might as well warm ourselves up.

As the flames illuminated the rocky surroundings, I could see Appa and Momo both approach Aang. Their presence seemed to have lightened the mood on the boy, who felt the comfort and protection of his two animals. I smiled as his mood became more positive, finally willing to release his burden and unveil the truth. "I'll never forget the day the monks told me I was the Avatar," he began, taking me back to the world that existed a century ago, when the Southern Air Temple was still filled with life and energy.

I could only listen on intently as Aang described his life back then, so carefree and fun, with new ideas for games and good friends to share them with. But that all changed when the monks approached him shortly after his twelfth birthday, in the middle of a demonstration in which Aang showed his friends a newly developed move: the Air Scooter. "I made it up myself, and I was really proud of it," he said, eyes twinkling.

But when Aang got to the part where the monks revealed his identity, things got a bit rockier. He stuttered through many parts, especially the sequence when his seniors, including his guardian Gyatso, informed him of his mission. "They told me storm clouds were gathering, and that war was upon us," Aang muttered, constantly scratching his lower lip with his upper front teeth. It was evident that, contrary to my expectations, Aang wasn't excited to be the Avatar. Rather, he was upset about it.

The sad tale continued with Aang losing many friends, mainly due to them feeling the Avatar provided Aang an unfair advantage over them in their games. He was often isolated, forced to spend most of his time either training extra vigorously or stuffed up in his room. Gyatso would sometimes drop by to visit, playing a few Pai Sho matches with Aang, but it was evident that Aang was a prisoner inside his own temple. For me, I kind of understood how I felt. Given that I lost my mother when I was younger, I could no longer frolic and play the way most children do. Instead of fun and games, my life was occupied by chores and other duties that kept the tribe running. But then again, I wasn't forced into isolation by my own friends, nor was I given strict orders to focus on only my chores by Gran Gran. "So what happened next?" I asked meekly.

"The worst thing ever happened," Aang murmured, his head sandwiched between his knees. In a last ditch attempt to convince the other elders that Aang ought to have balance in his life, Gyatso pleaded with the monks that as Aang's guardian, he had only Aang's best interests at heart. But the others didn't view it that way, as they saw Gyatso as not only being overprotective, but an obstacle in Aang's overall training. Gyatso was ultimately overruled, and the elders decided to send Aang to a different air temple to complete his training, separating him from the only man Aang could ever call a parent.

"How could they do that to me?" Aang ranted, suddenly shooting up from his seated position, "They wanted to take away everything I knew and everyone I loved!" I could tell his fury was returning, as the arrows on his hands and head glowed brighter than the fire I created. Cinders were blasted my way, causing me to duck and cower. Some eventually made their way onto bare skin, causing me to yelp in pain. Luckily, it snapped Aang out of his trance, and returned him back to normal.

As he trudged back to his old spot, I finally understood why Aang would be upset. Just how I was angry and confused after my mother passed away, Aang naturally would feel the same with Gyatso being taken away from him. "You have a right to be angry after the monks sent you away like that," I pointed out after checking myself for burns.

But Aang told me it wasn't the case, as his cocktail of emotions rendered him too scared to do anything with the monks. In a move out of desperation, Aang grabbed his staff and fetched Appa from the pens that night, and took off from the temple. "I wasn't even sure where I was going, but I never saw Gyatso again," he concluded, squeezing his eyes shut, "The next thing I knew, I was waking up in your arms." By the time Aang lifted his head, wet stains painted the corner of his eyes, while snivels echoed from his nose.

Biting my lower lip, I now realized why the fisherman's words truly hurt Aang. Not only did he supposedly turn his back on the Air Nomads when the Fire Nation wiped out their culture, he also abandoned the world when they made their conquests. Yet, with all those negatives, I couldn't help but feel rejuvenated after the story. "I think it was meant to be. If you had stayed, you would have been killed along with all the other air benders," I suggested. Certainly Aang's training served him well, as not only was he already an air bending master, he started picking up the basics of water bending too, way faster than I did, at least. But even as the Avatar, there was no way he could fight off all those Fire Nation soldiers by himself. Perhaps running away was the least bad option?

Even though Aang challenged my assumption, claiming I couldn't have possibly predicted that, I knew one thing was for certain. "The world needs you now. You give people hope," I stated. Whether this world accepted Aang as the Avatar or not, it was Aang's responsibility now, and it was my job to give Aang what he needed to protect it from more harm. It would be a difficult journey, but it was one we would take together.

________________________________________

**Sokka's POV**

"Are you crazy, Katara? You're not going to win this fight!" I did everything I could to hold my sister back as she stomped down the snow-covered steps, ripping off her parka in a huff as she met up with her opponent. After what seemed like an eternity, we finally reached the North Pole, and were welcomed by our northern counterparts. They were really thrilled to see the Avatar and his friends here, and I was really excited to be in such a large fortress. Not to mention that their princess Yue was one of the most beautiful people I ever set my sights on. I wondered if she would give me some attention.

But the attention we ended up getting wasn't the positive kind, as Aang got off to quite a rocky start with the lead water bending instructor here. The balding man with a large grey beard, Pakku, was a strict adherer to tradition, meaning no girls were allowed to learn water bending, unless they used it for healing purposes. That struck a nerve with Katara, who insisted to use it for battle. While Aang offered to teach Katara bending behind everyone's backs, he was caught by Pakku, and was expelled from his class. Now, to prove her point, Katara insisted on duelling with Pakku one-on-one.

"You don't have to do this for me," Aang chimed in just as Katara's parka hit my face. While I was used to Katara's stubborn and bossy side, given that she always had to get her hands on everyone's business, I was totally against this battle. While I did see some progress in Katara's water bending skills, it was way too farfetched for her to take on a world class water bending master. The show he put on at the welcoming party, where he and two students manipulated the water around them effortlessly, told me just how far that distance between Pakku and Katara was. I might always be thinking of ways to set Katara back in her place, but I would never want to see my own sister get hurt. Hey, a big brother had to do whatever it took to protect his little sister, right?

"I'm not doing it for you," Katara snapped, throwing me back into reality, "Someone needs to slap some sense into that guy." It was so typical of Katara to speak her mind like that. Once she decided on a course of action, there was nothing stopping her from achieving that. Maybe it ran in the family, since I always trusted my instincts. Now if only she didn't inherit the lack of bending in our family, and could still stand up after Pakku smacked her around silly. Sorry Katara, but you're on your own now.

But Pakku's smug attitude when he stepped up really made me cringe. "Go back to the healing huts with the other women where you belong," he commented nonchalantly without even looking Katara in the face. I would be the first to admit that my attitude to females wasn't positive, and it took a smack-down from Suki in Kyoshi Island before I learned to accept girls as legitimate fighters. But for Pakku to not only talk down to, but undress Katara of whatever dignity she had, that was out of line. I would be the first to tell Pakku that Katara was a strong person, and did everything she could to keep my tribe alive when all the men left. If anything, Katara belonged with the leaders of a tribe.

I cringed even harder as Katara created a water whip, flinging it out and slapping Pakku straight in the head. As Pakku turned to stare angrily at Katara, his gaze colder than the ice around me, I could only duck away. Katara was either the bravest person I ever met, or the dumbest person I ever met, by challenging Pakku this openly. Whatever one was right, the wheel was set in motion, and she couldn't take it back.

Before long, Pakku surrounded them both with a large wall of spinning water. "Don't worry, I'm not going to hurt you," he taunted my sister as the vortex spun around them furiously. I could sense a crowd gathering around me, watching closely as the two combatants circled each other. I didn't want to show it, but I was rooting for my sister. Not only was this a good way to show the world what Katara had learned, but it was also a way for Katara to open up this Northern Water Tribe. During the time we were here, I felt this place being run by nothing more than age-old traditions that didn't allow the people to enjoy their lives. The fact that arranged marriages still existed here was quite alarming, and the difference between societal classes made it impossible for everyone to intermingle. Was that why Princess Yue refused to accept my gift last night?

Speaking of Yue, there she was, trotting up to the arena and standing right next to me. Glancing uncomfortably between Yue and the battle, I briefly filled her in on what happened. "And now Katara insists on showing her skill with a duel," I concluded. My eyes tilted back and forth, realizing that the people around me were in a similar position: they wanted to cheer for Katara, but didn't have the guts to challenge their customs. Why did this seem so familiar? Oh yeah, that's right, most people we ran into didn't dare to take on the old ways. From Haru and the earth benders on that prison rig, to the air bender mimics in the Northern Air Temple, none of them dared to tackle their opponents head on. It wasn't until we came into their lives that they started their change.

"Argh!" I screamed as a cold blast of water slammed into my body. I was hurled several steps up, soaked in freezing liquid as Katara broke Pakku's formation and now perched herself on a higher step. Struggling to shake the water out of my face, I could hear Yue ushering people away from the battlefield. Seeing the crowd file past me, I could only hope that Katara was holding her own out there.

When I looked up, I saw Katara standing firmly on a pillar at the bottom of the staircase, freezing her feet in place as she stared down Pakku. "You can't knock me down," she yelled before charging at the old man again. To my surprise, all the people around me began cheering, urging Katara on as she attacked the master. I could only look on as Katara got dumped head-first into a pool of water, only to bounce right back up and created an ice block, shaving off razor-thin sheets and hurling them back at Pakku.

As blade after blade cut precariously close to Pakku, I realized this was what made Katara so inspiring. Personally, I thought all her speeches on hope were cheesy at first, but after seeing her fight, I realized they were all true. Destiny wasn't bestowed, it was achieved by taking all the chances we came upon. How many chances could one get in life? And how many could take full advantage of them? Katara came from a small water tribe village where she was the last water bender there, travelling across the land to help the Avatar, and now she finally got to meet the greatest water bender in the world. With such great promise before her, why wouldn't she take the chance?

"Well, I am impressed," Pakku commented as he pushed Katara back with another huge wave, "You are an excellent water bender." Well, took him long enough to say it! Was Pakku so dense that he couldn't see Katara's talent, or was his ego so big that he couldn't accept the fact that a girl was keeping him on his toes? At this rate, with her energy, Katara could beat the tar out of that geezer no problem.

But things took a turn for the worse, as Pakku not only continued in his refusal to teach Katara, he got her to fall into his trap. As Katara shot in her attack, Pakku spun around and skidded around her, knocking her over from behind. With Katara struggling to get up, the master pulled out some water from a nearby pool and turned that into sharp icicles. Clenching my teeth in nervousness, I couldn't watch as Pakku slammed his palms down, sending the ice daggers straight at Katara. Water bender kabob, anyone?

Yet the ending was even more humiliating, as Katara was completely trapped by the icicles, so much so that she couldn't even lift her arms. She told me movement was the most important aspect of water bending, so without it, Katara was officially out of the match. Part of me felt deflated as Katara's stance against Pakku was lost all because of the blindsiding, but it also fuelled my determination even more. Katara did so much to show the world what she was about, and now she had to be sent home with her tail between her legs all because this old fool couldn't take the fact that he might be wrong? Where was the justice in this? Maybe I ought to take Pakku on, if I knew water bending!

Despite Katara's cries that she wasn't done with Pakku yet, the old master was already strutting away. Around me, I could see people dipping their heads or turning away in disappointment. Somehow, I echoed the same feeling as a cool breeze from the frigid seas blew into the courtyard. Was this truly the end of Katara's career as a water bender? Was she doomed to only be a healer and not a fighter?

Oddly enough, it was Pakku who answered my question. He bent down to pick up a necklace, which I recognized as the same one Katara had always worn. "This is my necklace," Pakku stated in shock and awe, a complete change from his arrogant saunter away from Katara, "I made this sixty years ago for the love of my life, for Kanna."

Just as Pakku stared into the distance, looking for some individual he lost half a century back, Katara managed to bend the icicles, one by one, away from her body. "My Gran Gran was supposed to marry you?" she asked in surprise. Given Pakku's attitude, I was surprised too. What did Gran Gran ever see in this old grouch? If Katara and I were to be his grandchildren, I doubted we got to do anything. Pakku refused to train girls, and I doubted he was interested in setting battalions. Life would be boring with him around!

As the crowd dispersed, leaving Katara and Pakku with Aang, myself, and Yue, we heard Pakku's story for the first time. "I carved this necklace for your grandmother when we got engaged. I thought we would have a long happy life together. I loved her."

"But she didn't love you, did she?" Katara retorted, her aggressiveness toned down significantly as well, "It was an arranged marriage. Gran Gran wouldn't let your tribe's stupid customs run her life. That's why she left. It must have taken a lot of courage." Even though Katara sounded more conciliatory, I could tell she was quite adamant in teaching Pakku a lesson. And seeing how Gran Gran acted in leaving the tribe to go south, I could see where Katara got her iron will from. It wasn't from any male in my tribe, it was from my own grandmother who helped raised us both.

Suddenly, Yue burst into tears and sprinted off, leaving me quite surprised. Aang told me to go comfort her, and I immediately knew what happened. Yue was not just embarrassed by what she saw, but also ashamed. Even though I was quite certain before of our tribe's gender roles, I was very shocked that things were even more separated here. My own father, the chief of my tribe, recognized Katara's bending and tried so hard to convince someone to teach her. But had he been in this tribe, this possibility would be out of the question. So for Katara to not just speak out, but act out, against this type of sexist stereotyping, it truly took guts. Besides, if I could be changed in my views towards the female gender in general, then certainly Pakku could be changed as well.

But for now, my focus was on Yue, hoping to at least reassure her that I truly sympathized with her situation. I was really impressed with how Katara stood her ground against Pakku, and realized that it was with being out in the world with Aang and me that she could display such courage. For Yue, perhaps the same ought to be true, as based on what she told me, she simply hadn't the chance to see the world outside her tribe. I didn't believe she didn't care for the world and its different customs, but it was that she merely didn't understand them. Perhaps, if I engaged her enough, she might feel better, and could integrate herself with us again.

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**Katara's POV**

My head ached and spun as I slowly boarded Appa, the pain still resonating from the hit I took in an earlier battle. Indeed, the Fire Nation launched their full-scale attack on the North Pole, placing us under siege by bombarding us in the daylight, then slowing down completely at night. Even when Aang tried fighting them off, he was completely overwhelmed, with the Fire Nation navy fleet so large that it was impossible for him to do it alone. Now, with daybreak nearing, it wouldn't be long before they attacked again.

"They'll survive, and we'll find them," Sokka stated with determination as Appa flew into the ice fields before us, right in the middle of a blizzard. By they, Sokka was referring to Aang and Zuko, the former entering the Spirit World for advice while the latter captured Aang's body, which was without its spirit. Zuko infiltrated the Spirit Oasis, the most sacred spot in the Northern Water Tribe, just as Aang passed through to the other side. While Yue ran to get help, I tried to hold Zuko at bay, using all the water bending I could muster against his fiery attacks. For a while, I held my own, freezing the exiled prince at least twice. Thanks to the full moon, water bending powers were at their fullest, meaning I had an advantage despite not being as proficient at bending as Zuko.

But my luck ran out when the sun came up, giving fire benders the advantage. With two blasts, Zuko freed himself from the ice mountain I created and slammed me back-first against a wooden pole. The back of my head made contact with the pole, and that even now I was seeing stars. Zuko managed to grab Aang as I tried to shake off my dizziness, but somehow they wandered into this blizzard. Now, with a blanketing snow and nearly no visibility, things were getting dire. My heart sank as I squinted hard into the flying flakes, hoping Aang could at least make it out alive. We came too far in this battle to lose him now, so no matter what, he had to hang on.

Suddenly, a bright flash streaking across the sky caught my eye. Realizing it might be Aang's spirit returning to the body, this would give us the perfect chance to locate him. "That's got to be Aang," I shouted. Immediately, Sokka pulled on Appa's reins, guiding the bison to that direction. Hopefully Aang wouldn't be in a large block of ice, like we first found him. Hey, he did survive before, so maybe he could do it again?

Indeed, there was Aang, tied up like a stack of seal pelts as he tried to escape. Zuko appeared from behind, lifting him into the air tauntingly. That alone got my anger going, as if hurting Aang wasn't enough, mocking me was even worse. Just as Appa got lower, I leaped off the bison and confronted the fire bending teen, who tossed Aang aside like garbage. "Care for a rematch?" he sneered, turning to face me.

"Trust me, Zuko, it's not going to be much of a match." With one smooth move, I lifted some snow to block Zuko's first shot. Being observant had its perks, as I knew Zuko would go on the offensive. By blocking his shot, it gave me enough momentum for my big finish. Controlling the snow, I lifted Zuko high into the air, before slamming him back down. With a sickening thud, his body hit the snow, completely motionless.

But even as we freed him, Aang refused to leave Zuko behind. He believed Zuko would freeze to death here, so he chose to bring Zuko with us. Sokka and I crossed an uncertain look, not sure what Aang was trying to do. Why bring this troublemaker who nearly killed him with us back to the oasis? As Appa took off into the skies, I could see an ominous sign: the full moon, which used to be so bright before us, was an eerie red. I couldn't quite put my finger on it, but my entire body felt numb.

Turning to the side, Yue, who joined us in searching for Aang, fared even worse. Complaining of dizziness, she constantly leaned on Sokka for support. "I owe the Moon Spirit my life," Yue described, telling us how her sickly childhood was healed when she came in contact with the Moon Spirit Tui, which gave Yue some of its life force. Now, with the spirits in trouble, it was evident that the life force Yue received was making Yue weak as well. Now, with water benders likely losing their power, things were quite dire.

By the time we landed in the oasis, it was a scary sight. Admiral Zhao, who was Zuko's rival and pursued us just as viciously, now held the Moon Spirit in its mortal fish form in a large bag. Threatening to light it on fire, we could only tread cautiously. I had limited water bending to work with already, so attacking him would only make things worse. Looking on, I saw Aang trying to reason with him. "Destroying the moon won't just hurt the water tribe," he explained, "It'll hurt everyone, including you."

Just then, General Iroh, who we identified as Zuko's elderly uncle, also appeared, telling Zhao to back down as well. As Iroh threatened to attack Zhao, the volcanic man finally relented, letting the fish back into the pond. I breathed a huge sigh of relief as the moon returned to its natural colour, while my bending skills seemed to have returned. But still, with all these Fire Nation troops around, it was still very dangerous. Was there some way we can get out of this alive?

A huge flaming blade got my attention, and for all the wrong reasons as Zhao sliced it into the pond. As we all stared in shock, Tui took the brunt of the hit, leaving the fish floating belly up in the pond. This time, the moon darkened completely, and I felt my water bending skills drain out as well. As General Iroh fought off the others, we raced to the pond, where we checked on the condition of the fish. "It's over," Yue murmured as the lifeless body was pulled from the pond.

General Iroh grabbed the fish, examining it while we looked on. The man was wiser than any we knew, so surely he had some idea how to bring it back to life, right? As I wrung my hands nervously, another beam of light caught my eye. The night was just filled with strange lights as this time, Aang entered his Avatar State and stepped into the pond. I tried to stop him, but Iroh intervened, leaving me to watch incredulously. Aang was sucked into the pond, fusing with the Ocean Spirit La and became a large humanoid with a fish head. For some reason, Sokka felt the name Koizilla was appropriate. Who knew he was now an expert at naming weird creatures, especially those involving Aang?

I looked on nervously as Koizilla went on its rampage, going down the village and wreaking havoc at the Fire Nation troops. With everything now out of balance, I could only wonder what could fix this situation. Did anything matter now, given we were all pretty much doomed? What would happen to Aang as he continued to be possessed by that spirit? I couldn't imagine the world without its saviour once again if La chose to keep Aang and ended up hurting him during the storming of the Fire Nation fleet.

"It gave me life," Yue's voice suddenly sliced into my thoughts, "So maybe I can give it back." I was shocked the Northern Water Tribe princess reaching for the dead fish in Iroh's hands. Sokka held onto Yue tight, preventing her from reaching the fish. Somehow, I wanted to help Sokka restrain her, but my gut told me to stay put. Oh, why was this so hard? Was it really right to watch Yue sacrifice herself right in front of my eyes? But then again, if Yue didn't do it, what would happen to the world?

Before I could even think, Yue pressed her hands onto the fish, a beam of light transferring from her body to the spirit. Sokka could only scream as Yue collapsed, her body motionless and lifeless. "She's gone," Sokka reported, trying to feel her breathing and pulse, "she's gone." Biting my lip, I could only hold back tears as our companion gave herself up. It was truly one of the bravest and noblest things I had ever seen.

Soon enough, Yue's physical body disappeared, with only a bright spiritual form appearing before us. Taking a look at her changed appearance, I guessed now she became the new Moon Spirit. As Sokka bid her farewell and continued to mourn her, I could see the moon regaining its brightness. It was certainly a bittersweet sight as I felt my strength returning, all the while the Ocean Spirit splitting apart from Aang and returning to its place in the pond. Somehow, with this move, everything did turn out alright for us.

By the time morning arrived, Sokka and I told everyone, including Pakku, of the events. While Pakku was indeed devastated by the news, he also saw it as a fresh start. Speaking with some of his best bending students and a few healers, he chose to journey to the South Pole. "It's time we help rebuild our sister tribe. As for Aang," he stated, tilting his head at the figure standing alone in the distance. Aang was still shaken by his Koizilla incident, and with Pakku gone, his training would be interrupted. But Pakku insisted, "He better get used to calling you 'Master' Katara."

Upon hearing that, I couldn't be more excited. I had been taking care of Aang for this entire time, and now I had a chance to not just train with him, but also watched him grow. Things were about to get interesting, with a more difficult journey ahead. We must return to the Earth Kingdom to find an earth bending teacher, and afterwards we would have to stop the war. But for now, I was truly grateful that Pakku recognized my talent, and I was truly looking forward to working with Aang. I knew, together, we could truly accomplish anything, including bringing peace to this war-torn world.


	23. Katara, Part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Each character grows up with a set of experiences unique to themselves. Watch each person describe what went through their minds and how they changed as they reacted to the world. These are their stories, these are their rites of passage.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: Michael DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko own Avatar.

**Katara's POV**

"The general's gone crazy! He's trying to pull Aang into the Avatar State!" Sokka exclaimed as I rushed down the staircase into the courtyard of this Earth Kingdom military base. After leaving the North Pole, we were back in the Earth Kingdom, hoping to work on Aang's next element, earth. Our original target was Omashu, which was a semi-autonomous region ruled by Aang's old friend Bumi. He was a very powerful earth bender, despite being over a hundred years old. I didn't have a fun experience the first time I was there, heaving nearly been turned into human rock candy. Hopefully this time, with Bumi recognizing us, it would be more successful.

But right now, there were bigger issues. The general of this military base apparently heard of our battle at the North Pole, where Aang singlehandedly defeated an entire Fire Nation armada by entering the Avatar State. I wasn't too keen with the idea, feeling Aang should master all the elements as quickly as possible first. In fact, Aang himself told me he had some nightmares regarding his destructiveness in the Avatar State, so was it right that General Fong pushed him that hard? Whatever the case, I told everyone I would boycott any effort to trigger the Avatar State, opting to stay in my room until the escort to Omashu was ready. The sooner I left this eccentric general, the better.

Yet when the general spoke of wanting Aang in the Avatar State, he wasn't kidding. An all-out battle was going on at the courtyard, where large and round earthen pieces were hurled at Aang from every which direction while Fong and several other foot soldiers attacked with more earth bending. Sokka and I glanced at each other and we knew exactly what to do. Given that Aang, in his regular fighting style, would avoid and dodge as much as possible, our mission was to distract the earth benders for as long as possible, at least until Aang could find a way out safely. Opening the sash strapped to my hip, I unleashed the water whips and smacked every soldier I could reach.

Before long, dust and soot clouded my vision, while sounds of rocks scratching the ground echoed through my ears as I searched for Aang. I couldn't even tell where Sokka was, the last I saw him being when he knocked out a solider with his boomerang, leaving him with an Ostrich Horse. That guy couldn't handle animals on a regular day, and now he had to learn on the fly? Let's hope he didn't turn into road kill!

But suddenly, I felt really claustrophobic, as several of those large round pieces were erected and surrounded me. Each one had an earth bender controlling it, and I had a sinking feeling that they were about to use it on me. In the midst of my eyes tilting back and forth, I could see Aang now at the top of the same staircase I raced down earlier, looking on nervously as the general called to him. "Maybe you can avoid me, but she can't!" he sneered, stomping hard on the ground. Water bender sandwich, anyone?

I wasn't about to let him off the hook, not with him threatening me or Aang like this. During my stay here, General Fong used some rather underhanded tactics to make Aang agree with him. Taking Aang to the infirmary ward several times, he insisted that his troops didn't need to take such injuries, and that every death was Aang's fault. That ended up making Aang feel all guilty about arriving a hundred years late, and forced him to agree to the general's crazy scheme. In my opinion, if anyone got hurt, it was Fong and Fong alone that must bear the blame. Feeling my water, I lashed out at the stocky man.

But the bare-footed general was ready for me, as he raised pieces of earth to catch my water. With the dirt soaking up the fluid, my whip became nothing more than wet soil as it crumpled to the ground. Turning his sights to me, I could feel Fong's eyes bore into my heart as he squeezed a fist tight. In one move, I felt my legs being cut out from under me, my body taking a huge dive into the sand. Frantically looking around, I realized that I was now buried up to my knees in rock-solid earth. "I can't move," I grunted, struggling to free myself. Whatever I was trapped in barely kept my legs intact, and it was starting to provide an excruciating pain from knee-down.

"Don't hurt her!" I heard Aang yell as he blasted the general with air. But Fong was undeterred, blocking the shot with a slab of rock. At the same time Aang's attacked was pushed aside, Sokka tried to ride up in the Ostrich Horse. I was surprised that it hadn't thrown him off yet, but wasn't surprised that his efforts were all for naught. Fong squeezed the earth beneath the animal and sent Sokka hurtling into the pile of earthen pieces. Aang, being the powerful bender he was, already had trouble with Fong. So for Sokka, a non-bender, to attack like that, I was surprised he didn't end up like me.

And curse my crazy thoughts, as Fong had to turn back to me and pushed me deeper into the dirt. "Aang, I'm sinking!" I hollered, now up to my ribs in dirt. The earth around me was suffocating, squeezing my lungs as I gulped air as hard and quickly as I could. Being from the water tribes, I was a good swimmer, but never in anything as thick as this. Now, with every move of Fong, I was going deeper and deeper.

Aang pleaded with the general, begging him not to do this. But did that delusional man listen? Not a chance, as now only my head was above the ground. With Aang on his knees and close to tears, I could only gasp as Fong squeezed his hand one more time, sinking me completely into the sand. Even though I was safe, merely encased by the now soft material, I knew I wouldn't last for long. It was pitch black down here, with very little room to manoeuvre. Even if I didn't suffocate, I might die of thirst or hunger should that madman not let me out. Oh, why did things have to end up like this?

Suddenly, a series of rumbles above ground got my attention, the trembling so violent that my bones shook even from down here. Before I could even wonder what was going on, I was violently jerked out from the ground, my body landing with a plop onto the sand. Lifting my head, the most fearsome sight precipitated before me. There was Aang, arrows and eyes glowing while riding a huge air tornado, destroying everything in sight. While that nutcase Fong cackled like a maniac, I was extremely concerned for Aang. Knowing the damage he did when his Avatar State fused him with the Ocean Spirit La, there was no telling if anyone of us could survive, as long as his rampage continued here. If only I could just reach him and reassured him the same way I did back when he found out Gyatso died, maybe it would be fine.

After a few minutes, the mess finally ended, with Aang on his knees again. His eyes weakly tilted around, surveying the destruction he caused. Buildings were levelled, the round pieces were thrown and imbedded into the walls, and the ground was demolished. Aang sat on the ground, head between his knees. Not even worrying about Fong, I hurried to my friend, who could only mutter, "I'm sorry, Katara. I hope you never have to see me like that ever again." With that, he collapsed into my arms.

I could only hold him, giving him whatever comfort I could as I pondered the scene. Obviously, the Avatar State was very powerful, and there was nothing one could do to stop it. Given how scared Aang was of his destructive powers, I almost felt this was a curse placed upon the Avatar, or more specifically, Aang. Until we found a way to keep the Avatar State in check, the only thing I could do was support Aang, giving him an outlet for his frustration and trying to understand his needs as much as possible. Even as we travelled together for the last few months, I didn't feel I understood Aang completely yet, so hopefully our journey in the Earth Kingdom would give us more chances to bond.

For now, we had to go to Omashu. Fong, who was out of his mind, still wanted Aang to train in the Avatar State so he could control its power. Sokka took care of that problem by riding up and knocking the lunatic out. Boarding Appa, we could only hope the future journey would be smoother than what we just saw.

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**Katara's POV**

"What did I just do?" Aang screamed into the air before collapsing onto the ground next to Appa. Our group was in a mess, to put it simply, with none of us getting any sleep for the last night. We managed to find an earth bending teacher for Aang, a blind girl of noble descent named Toph, who took this chance as a way to leave her very restrictive parents. While I was initially happy that Aang got to work on this new skill, and that I could finally get some help by having a girl in the group, things turned sour.

"I know, we're all trying to get used to each other," I added, my gut filled with guilt and remorse. Originally, there were a few minor disagreements, as Toph didn't really bond with us. She often camped away from our group, only joining us for meals and rarely, if ever, helped set up camp. I didn't see it as too much to worry about, given that Toph was probably used to having servants at her home do everything for her. But when she blamed Appa for causing the Fire Nation to chase us, Aang snapped.

"What are we going to do with the tank full of dangerous ladies chasing us?" Sokka asked. Just like Aang and me, he had dark rings around his eyes, and could barely lift his head. For the past night, there was a large machine that pursued us wherever we went. Every time we stopped to rest, three Fire Nation girls appeared and attacked us relentlessly. I was especially frightened by the acrobatic one, who somehow did things in her attacks that stripped me of my bending. It was a scary thought, to say the least, and one that I wished I never had to go through again.

But first, we had to provide a distraction. Toph's point about Appa's shedding was valid, with the fur leaving a visible trail. We slipped Appa, who was suffering as much fatigue as we were, into a nearby river and scrubbed him clean. Unfortunately, Miss I'm-Too-Good-to-Contribute ended up ditching us after her argument with Aang, so the three of us had to handle the task by ourselves. Oh well, we managed to get by in the past with three people, so what made that spoiled brat think we couldn't do it again?

With Appa now cleaned, Aang suggested that we left the saddle for now, and flew off for somewhere safe, so that we could regroup. As for Aang himself, he would take the excess fur we collected from the wash and used it to create a fake trail, just to lead that tank off course. Sokka and I boarded Appa while Aang took off in his glider, all the while I thought about how Aang really handled the situation well. It was only a few months ago that he was nothing but a goofy, fun-loving, animal-riding kid who didn't really care for the Avatar duties. But today, seeing him calmly come up with such a plan in the face of such danger all by himself, I couldn't help but be proud of him. While I was still reluctant to let him face those girls alone, I could only wish him the best.

As Appa took to the skies, I kept replaying the scene from my last argument with Toph. Apparently, my insistence that everyone split the tasks evenly didn't impress her, as she refused to lift a finger in aiding us. While I understood her family's situation, with her parents dominating her so much that she couldn't even walk without people guarding her, it wasn't a legitimate reason for her to isolate herself from us. The second she left her parents and joined our group, she was part of our team, and that meant playing by our rules. She couldn't just bring her mountain-sized sense of entitlement and applied it to us, expecting us to do everything for her. So to have her split from us like that, maybe this was the time Toph ought to take to straighten out her priorities.

But at the same time, I also reflected upon my own actions, and realized that I was far from innocent either. Perhaps I was a bit too aggressive in my attitude to Toph, with a tendency to boss her around rather than engaged her and made it easier for her to adapt to the new lifestyle. Even when Toph refused to participate, opting to make every one of my attempts to reach out to her backfire, I should have been more patient and kept my cool rather than go off on her. Perhaps, when we find her again, I could give her an apology. But for now, getting to safety was the most important thing.

"Oh no, Katara!" Sokka yelled from the back, snapping me to attention. To my total shock, two of the girls that pursued us last night appeared below, both riding on large lizards that slowly gained ground on Appa, making me wonder how they could find us despite the fake trail. Looking ahead, I saw a river in front of us, and figured that as long as we could cross it, there was no way they could chase us.

Sokka and I urged Appa on, even though the Sky Bison threatened to fall asleep several times during its flight. Below us, the trees got larger and larger, with the canopies just grazing Appa's fur. Meanwhile, one of the girls, the one with dark hair and stoic expression, hurled a series of sharp projectiles at us. With Appa too tired to dodge, all I could do was continue manipulating the altitude, hoping the blades would sail above us. With tree branches snapping below, I could only hold my breath as we braced for impact.

Appa crashed into the water, jolting my entire body. With each bounce and skid on the river, I was soaked through and through. Sokka and I barely held on to each other, trying not to fall off as Appa slammed onto land. I couldn't imagine the pain Appa went through, flying with fatigue followed by a crash. But whatever the case, we were safe for now, as the two lizards and their riders stared on from the other side.

But another disaster struck when, in the most amazing display of animal talents, the two lizards perched high on their rear legs and sprinted across the surface of the water, bringing the two riders straight at us! Even as I did water bending on the river, it was of no use. The acrobat immediately confronted me and tried to jab at various parts of my body. Knowing what she did to me last time, I had to go on the defensive, leaving me very little room and time to get into a rhythm. Knowing that water bending relied heavily on steady flow and balance, I definitely had a disadvantage.

Luckily, Sokka and I still managed to fight as a team for the time being, with him fending off the acrobat while the knife thrower targeted me. Sensing the danger, I raced near the water, hoping to access the liquid. But before it even lifted off, I found my hands pinned against a tree, two sharp blades piercing through my clothing and trapping me. I looked on as the stoic girl crossed her arms, staring with an unimpressed face while Sokka limped towards me, a victim of the acrobat's paralyzing attacks. With both of us disabled, it wouldn't be long before we were hauled to the Fire Nation as prisoners.

Yet to our relief, it was the most unlikely source that came to our rescue. Appa, with one whip of his tail, created a huge wind blast that sent the two girls flying. I had no idea how he could still have energy to do that, but it only made me appreciate Aang's Sky Bison even more. If Toph was around, I would use that as evidence to show how Appa did help us out. As Aang said, Appa carried all our weight, and it wasn't right that she downplayed his achievements. Now, with the threat officially being washed downstream, I could work on getting free from the blades and lifting Sokka's limp body onto Appa. "It'll wear off after a while," I told Sokka as he inched towards the Sky Bison, "But for now, we have to find Aang. It wouldn't be surprising if they send their leader after him."

We flew in the opposite direction from which we were headed, going back to our original route before turning in the direction Aang flew earlier. I could see a small town, most likely deserted due to a lack of people around, way in the distance. Sokka, who was just behind me, managed to get his hands moving again, in which I told him to rub and massage his arms and legs, hoping to return some circulation to his limbs. "I'm not sure how well it works, but at least with the blood around, you probably won't stay paralyzed for that long," I suggested. For now, I could only hope Aang was hanging on tight.

By the time we landed into the ghost town, there was sheer pandemonium. Houses were lit on fire, with what seemed to be a three-way chase between Aang, Zuko, and that Fire Nation team leader. I had no idea how Zuko managed to track us here, nor did I know where Toph was and whether she was safe at the moment. But for me, the main priority was to protect Aang. Just as Zuko was blasted out of a building, I steered Appa into a nearby open area, dismounting quickly and racing into the fray. Aang was now trapped in another abandoned building, with that girl closing in real quick.

I unleashed a water whip, yanking on the fire bender's wrist just in time to distract her. Sending another whip, I freed Aang from the rubble before racing away, knowing my close range with the fire bender meant I would be in for a fistful of flames. As I crossed an alley's opening, Sokka jumped in a fought back against the girl, making it now a three-on-one fight. We circled her, our eyes never lifting away even as our eyelids threatened to clamp shut. From the way she stared us down, to her every footstep, I could tell she was a formidable fighter, and wouldn't make things easy for us.

Air blasts, water jets, and boomerangs all sailed into the air, aiming straight for the fire bender all at once. Even though we now put her on the defensive, it was evident that the fight wasn't over. We did manage to get some help when Toph returned, shifting the ground beneath the fire bender's feet and making her lose balance. I could feel my mood improving with Toph's presence, realizing that perhaps she didn't mean to ditch us after all. But reconciliation had to take a back seat, as the Fire Nation team leader hurled more blue flame at us. It would take all our skills just to fight her off.

We managed to trap her into a corner, courtesy of Iroh, who came out of nowhere and blocked the only escape path. Personally, I had no idea where he had been either since the North Pole incident, but at least I knew he wasn't against us, given how he helped us heal the Moon Spirit. "Enemies and traitors, all working together," the fire bender hissed, "A princess surrenders with honour." With that, she raised her hands, opting not to fight. I never expected her to be the Fire Nation princess, which also meant she was most likely Zuko's sister. Somehow, I had an uneasy feeling about this, as she didn't seem like the type to give in. What trap did she have planned for us next?

In an instant, I heard Iroh scream in pain, blue fire emitting straight from his chest. Zuko's uncle took a surprise attack from the Fire Nation princess, and flopped to the dusty ground. I could feel my anger taking over as the kind old man was rendered unconscious. Doing that to someone of your nationality was bad enough, but to attack your own uncle was unacceptable to me. Apparently, everyone else agreed, as they all unleashed their bending on her at the same time as me. If that act didn't deserve the punishment of a lifetime, then nothing else would.

A huge explosion occurred afterwards, but only shock followed when the dust settled. The Fire Nation princess somehow disappeared, despite all that bending power sent her way! As we looked around, I could hear Zuko's anguished cries from behind us. It was clear that he was devastated with the attack on his uncle, who I believed was very close to him. As he knelt before Iroh's lifeless body, suddenly all my past grudges against him seemed irrelevant. Zuko seemed almost human as he berated us. "Get away from us," he shouted, even as I offered to help, "Leave!" he finished with a fire fist.

For me, that was my sign to go, as there was no point in trying to convince Zuko in that emotional state. Boarding Appa again, this experience gave me some new insight into things. While I was too used to being the one in charge, I realized that method didn't always work. With Toph and Zuko, two people who seemed to come from different backgrounds, their needs and priorities were quite different from mine. The only way things would work was if I tried to be a bit more sensitive, and used a different technique rather than barged my way in all the time. Hopefully, when we got to recuperate, I could approach Toph again and reached out more. But for now, it was best we found a safe place to rest, and not do anything crazy for the next few days.

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**Aang's POV**

"You do realize that's the problem, don't you?" Katara gently probed me, all the while we circled that blob of water around. Most of the time, whenever Katara trained me on water bending, I looked forward to the experience. What better way than to spend a spring day in the water with the most amazing person in the world?

But today, it was entirely different, as I was water bending for a different reason. It was the first day I started on earth bending with Toph, and at first I really wanted to learn the new element. What would be cooler than causing an avalanche with the stomp of a foot, or surrounding myself with rocks and dirt in an earthen whirlpool? But instead of all those stunts, Toph got me on the most basic techniques, such as moving a boulder or juggling rocks while balanced on two rock perches. While it wasn't any fun, I found myself getting used to it anyway, to the point where Toph went for something harder.

"If you face this issue, instead of avoiding it…" Katara began. That statement alone brought back all the painful memories of the previous incident. Toph insisted that I learned how to stop a rock now, reminding me time and time again to face the boulder head-on rather than using a different angle or solution. She upped the ante by taking off my waistband and wrapping it around my eyes, as to let me better feel the vibrations of the boulder rolling down. Before I could even get the butterflies out of my stomach, Toph shoved that massive thing down, threatening to squish me like a bug.

"I know! I get it, alright?" I cut in, stopping Katara before she could say more. The experience ended with me doing what my instincts told me and avoided the boulder. But the second I landed, I knew I was dead meat. Not only did I fail my mission, I had to get chewed out by Toph, who wished the boulder ran me over rather than seeing a "jelly-boned wimp" like me. Her words still rang in my ears, and reminded me just how badly I struggled in this Avatar business. Somehow, even though I knew what to do, I couldn't bring myself to do it. "I don't know why I can't, but I can't," I ended, slamming my hands into the water and letting the blob we spun around earlier crash.

"Aang, if fire and water are opposites, then what's the opposite of air?" Katara asked. Somehow, hearing her speak always made my mind settled. It was like she was the one person I could turn to whenever I had problems. Why couldn't she be my teacher for all the elements, and not just water? "You're working with your natural opposite, but you'll figure it out, I know you will," she insisted, urging me not to give up.

When she said that, it was like Toph's words were blown away by an air blast. I didn't know how Katara did it, but she always managed to get to the point while making me feel as comfortable as possible. It was the same back in the North Pole, when she convinced me to face the Fire Nation armada during the siege. Even though I wasn't ready and had serious doubts, it was Katara who suggested contacting the Spirit World, where in turn I got the advice for getting to the Moon and Ocean Spirits. Perhaps, with Katara's encouragement, I could handle Toph's aggressive style.

I barely had time to react as Katara hurled a sharp reed blade at me, forcing me to shoot up a jet of water and carved that thing into two. Even though my mind was on how comforting Katara was, I never forgot Katara's best trait: being observant and using all her skills to her advantage in a time of crisis. If a straight blade was what she used, then carving it in half and letting the two pieces sail by me was my best defence. As the two halves fell to the wayside, Katara congratulated me on having the reflexes of a water bender. "Thanks, Katara," I replied, my mood brightening again, "Sifu Katara."

For the rest of the day, I avoided Toph and focused on meditating. I still wasn't too sold on Katara wanting me to face Toph head-on yet. If there was a way to avoid dealing with her, why not go for that first? But even with me staying pacifist, Toph wasn't backing down, going to every length to push my buttons. As if taking my bag of nuts wasn't enough, she used my staff as a nutcracker, all the while calling me names and referring to my submissiveness. Still, the monks taught me to have patience, and let each and every conflict work itself out. Sooner or later, Toph would ease up, right?

But things weren't going our way, as Katara reported Sokka being missing. It was almost sundown, and there was no sign of him. With Toph too busy trying to get on my nerves, Katara and I split up to look for Sokka. This was another advantage of having someone as observant as Katara, because with her around, we always knew what was missing, and what we had to do to fix that. She was caring, but also decisive, and would stay on path once her mind was made up. Maybe I should be more like her, especially when dealing with Toph. At least Toph couldn't get at Katara like she did to me.

I finally found Sokka comically trapped in some type of hole in the ground. It was too narrow to free him out completely, but just wide enough to lodge him there. While he went on about wanting me to find him meat, I tried to air bend him out of there. As my air rushed into the hole, it only gave Sokka spiky hair like Zuko's, rather than dislodge him. "I know you're new at it, but I could use a little earth bending here. How about it?" Sokka asked just as his instruments fell back down after that air rush.

But just the mention of earth bending brought back all those painful memories, especially the putdowns from Toph. Of all the times and places I had to use earth bending, why now? Why couldn't it be some other time and place where it didn't involve the life of my friend? And why couldn't it be some other time and place where Toph wasn't in our group? Seriously, I had no idea where Toph was, but I didn't dare to go ask her for help now. If I told her I couldn't earth bend Sokka out, think of all the new insults she would have for me. I wasn't sure if I could take this kind of rejection again.

Suddenly, a huge sabre-tooth moose lion appeared from the bushes. Apparently, its cub was wandering around Sokka during his "imprisonment" here, and it thought my friend was a threat to its baby. Growling and stomping the ground, it charged at us, putting Sokka's trapped body in great danger. Even as I did everything to lure it away from Sokka, it wasn't about to budge. "Please don't leave me again," Sokka pleaded.

Suddenly, Katara's words came back to me: if you face the issue, instead of avoiding it. Perhaps that was what I was doing wrong the whole time. What I saw as pacifism and avoiding conflict was ultimately putting me in a shell. By not dealing with my problems the whole time, I merely let them accumulate to the point where I had no way of dealing with them piling on me. Just like how I was trapped in an iceberg, I was now trapped inside my own mind. Sooner or later, there would be a problem so large that I must take action, whether I preferred it or not. There was one such case here, with the mother moose-lion rampaging dangerously close to Sokka. And right now, I couldn't stand by and watched it trample my friend to death. Jelly-boned wimp or not, it was time I took action. Getting into a stance, I faced the beast head-on.

Just when the timing was right, I unleashed the biggest air blast I could summon, sending the moose-lion back into the bushes. With the animal sensing that we weren't to be reckoned with, it eventually left us alone, taking its cub somewhere else. As I exhaled in relief, I realized a strange clapping from the back. "I'm just enjoying the show," the usual snotty tone from Toph echoed from the rocks. I was totally shocked at her attitude. She was there the whole time, watching us get chased by that thing, and didn't even lift a finger? Why didn't she help Sokka get out of that hole?

Before I could continue ranting, Toph claimed it didn't occur to her, shrugging off my complaints like they were nothing. As she tossed another nut onto the ground, ready to crack it with my staff, I felt enough was enough. Before the staff hit the ground, I stormed up to her and snatched it away. "I want my staff back!" I snapped, glaring at her. I didn't care that she was a great earth bender, but if she did this one more time, she was going to get way more than just hot air being tossed at her.

Then, to my surprise, Toph ordered me to earth bend on the spot. "You just stood your ground against a crazy beast," she pointed out, "And even more impressive, you stood your ground against me. You've got the stuff, so do it!"

As Toph brought another boulder up to me, Katara's words echoed in my mind again. Maybe it was only by standing my ground and refusing to budge that I could find my way in the world. I was truly grateful by how she supported me, from the day we first met all the way to today. Looking at the boulder, I recalled how the first time I did this, all I did was blast myself backwards with air. Now, with Katara's encouragement and my newfound confidence, I was ready to send this rock flying. Lifting one foot, I shot my hand forward and punched the boulder as hard as I could.

To my surprise, it was the rock that moved. Sailing a short distance away, it slammed into the ground before breaking apart. I was so thrilled that it worked, and was so happy to finally get this monkey off my shoulders. As Toph pulled Sokka out the hole with her earth bending, I could only think of all the exciting things I would tell Katara. But most of all, I would thank Katara for her inspiring words. Had she not gotten through to me, staying patient while giving me all the hints possible, I wouldn't have started my journey into earth bending. Katara, in the future, no matter what element I was bending, I would always remember your advice.

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**Katara's POV**

"We have to get out of here!" I shouted, looking around at the Buzzard Wasps now surrounding us. Spending several days in this large desert wasn't exactly my vision of taking a vacation or searching for clues to end the war. But when we entered a small town on the edge of this desert, we bumped into a professor from Ba Sing Se who happened to be searching for a hidden library containing information from across the world. With a chance that information from there could be used against the Fire Nation, we decided to search for it, in hopes that it could help us end the war.

But it was there that disaster struck. Not only were we pursued by the large owl spirit, Wan Shi Tong, who owned and guarded the library, we also lost Appa in the process. Wan Shi Tong didn't appreciate us using his knowledge for destruction, and chased us mercilessly. While the professor chose to stay in the library, we had to make an escape as the spirit sank the library into the sand. While Toph stayed outside trying to use her bending to keep it afloat, sand benders, a nomadic tribe living around the desert, came in and snatched Appa from us. Now, without our Sky Bison, we were forced to navigate out of the desert on foot, amidst searing days and freezing nights.

"Momo!" Aang cried as a Buzzard Wasp zoomed in and snatched our lemur from off the ground. To no one's surprise, Aang was extremely devastated by the loss of his close friend, to the point where he lashed out at everyone around him, even when our main priority ought to be getting out of here alive. We barely made it through the night riding on a deserted sand sailer as powered by Toph and Aang bending their respective elements when we stumbled upon this Buzzard Wasp nest. With Momo being taken as possible prey, it only stirred up Aang even more. "I'm not losing anyone else out here," he grimaced, leaping into the air with his glider.

I could only look on, shocked at this different version of Aang. The only other time I saw him this angry was during the Avatar State incident. When Fong held me hostage, Aang went on a savage fury, destroying everything in his path. When he saw his destructiveness, Aang showed instant remorse and promised me he would never show that side of him again. But now, it seemed like he wasn't just engulfed by his anger, he was running full-speed with it. This type of attitude wasn't about to make things easier for him, given how his emotional state would make it practically impossible to focus on any bending. With that in mind, I made it my mission to put Aang in a better mood.

But first, we had to navigate out of this nest, as the creatures weren't about to stop attacking. Guiding Toph, who had trouble seeing through shifty sand, and Sokka, who was stoned off his face with cactus juice, I negotiated the tight rocky path, concentrating hard on keeping everyone alive. There were still flyers snapping at us, and without any water on me, I was pretty much incapacitated. The only thing I could rely on was Toph's earth bending, as directed by me. Controlling her through her shoulders, I shouted out directions to Toph every time a Buzzard wasp got near, timing each shot perfectly as we blasted the creatures one by one. Before long, we were well on our way.

But before we reached the bottom, a huge explosion halted us straight in our tracks. I was completely blindsided by that, only holding onto Toph and Sokka to ensure they didn't get blown away, but also for balance. I didn't know where Aang was at the moment, and the last thing we needed was someone attacking right now. Earlier, I heard Aang very bitterly hoping that sand benders would show up so that he could teach them a lesson for stealing Appa. While I was angry at Appa being taken, I wasn't too keen on blaming just any individual without proof. In the middle of the desert, there was no way to tell who did what at which given time. And given Toph had trouble seeing through the sand that only made things harder. Was there a way Aang could work this out?

And speak of the devil, there they were, the very sand benders I was thinking about earlier. They glared at us through covered faces, veils and bandaged clothing wrapping most of their bodies, save for their eyes. "What are you doing in our land with a sand bender's sailer?" an older man, who I assumed was the tribal chief, demanded. From the looks of it, I got a feeling they were accusing us of stealing. Boy, how the tables turned on us this time!

Just then, Aang landed right before us, the same hunched and clenched position he had since exiting the library reappearing. Even with his face away from me, I could tell what he was thinking. He probably wanted to beat down the sand benders on the spot, which would only put us in more danger. Realizing the precarious situation, I tried to diffuse the tension. "We found the sailer abandoned in the desert," I explained, stepping up just beside Aang. I didn't want Aang to get hostile too quickly, so I positioned to his side just so I could grab him should he attack. "We're traveling with the Avatar. Our bison was stolen, and we have to get to Ba Sing Se."

Just then, a younger man challenged us. "You dare accuse our people of theft when you ride in on a stolen sand sailer?" he snarled, trying to pick a fight. My hands fidgeted while tilting my eyes between the sand benders and Aang. Things were not looking good, and I could imagine what the ensuing battle would look like in seconds. Didn't any of these people have enough brains to know when to hold their tongues?

Oops, too late, as Toph somehow recognized that young man's voice and told me it was the same one that spoke when Appa was captured. "You said to put a muzzle on him," Toph continued, pointing an accusing finger in the sand bender's direction. With those words alone, I knew I pretty much lost whatever little control I had of the issue.

"You muzzled Appa?" Aang demanded, his tone a cocktail of anger, pain, shock, and sadness. Before long, everybody dove for cover as Aang's arrows and eyes glowed ominously, the same sight that appeared when Gyatso died and when I was captured by Fong reappearing. Aang was now hovering a few feet off the ground, sand blasting all the people around him along the way. Amidst the cries of panic and screams of fear, I knew exactly what to do. Any concerns of personal safety were erased completely as I only had Aang's emotional state in mind. Nobody ought to live through facing those who took away a loved one, especially during these trying situations. I lost my own mother to the Fire Nation, so how did they think I would feel every time I see a fire bender?

Wind and sand ripped at my clothing, threatening to blow me away as I made my approach. I shielded my eyes as I stared at the levitating individual, now tightening his body more than ever. So far, nobody had been able to calm Aang down, but knowing our survival depended on it, I had to try. A flurry of thoughts went through my mind, starting with when I first met Aang, recalling the happy-go-lucky kid that he used to be. This whole journey changed him so much, and hopefully, with this incident, it didn't change him for the worse. Taking a deep breath, I reached up and grabbed his arm.

Aang whipped his head around, those glowing eyes looking like they could pierce through my soul. Nonetheless, I soldiered on, pulling him back down from the spinning sphere. Ignoring the aching in my arm as I fought the sheer power of the Avatar State, I managed to place him back down to earth and did the only thing I could. I took him into my arms and held him there. I wasn't sure how much good this would do, but I had to give him all the comfort I could, letting him know that there was someone who cared.

Soon enough, the Avatar State subsided, leaving me back in the unbearably hot desert with only Aang standing on wobbly legs beside me. I lifted my eyelids open and saw tears streaming down his face, my friend probably too overcome by sadness to move, let alone speak. There wasn't much more I could do, except for trying to find a way to keep us moving on. There were too many issues to deal with right now, and the best thing we could do was to get to Ba Sing Se before it was too late. Besides, the sand bender that Toph caught earlier claimed he sold Appa to a merchant, and that Appa was probably in Ba Sing Se now. Hopefully, when we arrived, we could take some time to take a look.

Not another word was spoken as the sand benders offered to get us out of the desert. With Aang fatigued physically and emotionally, it almost felt like I was dragging his limp body onto the sand sailers. But in this episode, I saw how much more I had to do for Aang to make sure he could end this war. Even though he was the Avatar, he was still human, and losing a loved one was definitely traumatizing for him. From here on out, I had to be even more considerate of Aang's conditions, guiding him along the way while giving him enough options so that he would still feel comfortable. The end of the war was still a long ways away, and Ba Sing Se was only the first step of the way. But if we could at least spend some time searching out Appa, and maybe get an audience with the Earth King, then at least we still have a fighting chance.

________________________________________

**Katara's POV**

"You know, it's okay to miss Appa," I began, slightly stuttering as I approached Aang, who stood in solitude over a cliff at the Serpent's Pass. After the desert incident, we were on our way to Ba Sing Se. We originally wanted to take a ferry at Full Moon Bay, as recommended by a family of refugees. It was there that we ran into Suki, who offered to fast-track us. But when the family's passports were stolen, Aang offered to guide them to the Earth Kingdom capital through this narrow strip of land. I had doubts at first, as guiding a pregnant woman through this narrow path surrounded by Fire Nation patrol ships was dangerous. But right now, it seemed like nothing could stop Aang.

And speaking of Aang, I was seriously having problems with his attitude right now. I didn't know what affected him, but ever since he lost Appa, he was completely withdrawn, isolating himself from us and not willing to talk to us about anything. Even as Toph, Suki, Sokka, and the family prepared to sleep, Aang wandered off, staring at the moon rather than intermingling. "In the desert, all you cared about was finding Appa," I continued, trying to read into this new Aang, "And now it's like you don't care at all."

"You saw what I did out there. I was so angry about Appa that I couldn't control myself," Aang responded, still facing the water instead of me. There was absolutely no emotion in his tone, which was almost scary considering how emotional of a person Aang tended to be. Whether happy or sad, angry or excited, Aang wore his emotions on his sleeves, but now he was nothing but a big blank. I knew he was devastated by his own destructiveness in the Fong incident, and having it repeated just recently despite trying hard not to show it was certainly unfortunate. But at this rate, Aang would be swallowed up by his own emotionless state before he could even reach Ba Sing Se.

Taking a deep breath, I tried my best to pry through him. I knew Aang was seen as a source of hope for many, so maybe by discussing hope with him, I could get him to open up. "I know sometimes it hurts more to hope, and it hurts more to care, but you have to promise me you won't stop caring," I insisted. Deep down, I knew Aang was a caring person. Maybe by showing Aang I cared, he would be willing to do the same.

Even as I opened my arms, offering to give him a hug, Aang refused to budge. All I got from him was a curt bow and thanks for my concern before my friend wandered back to camp. Well, at least it got him back into the group, right? Either way, I wasn't about to give up on Aang. There was too much to lose if he kept going this way, starting with his sanity. Not only would Aang grow cold and distant, he might even separate from us entirely. How would the world react if he stopped helping others? What's more, how would I cope with the one I cared about most ignoring me entirely?

To my dismay, Aang's mood didn't change even with daybreak. We didn't say a word to each other as we continued navigating the path, almost like he was avoiding me at all costs. The only time I had any contact with him was during a section of the pass where the land went underwater, and I asked him to help me bend away the water on top of the path, creating an air bubble for us to stay dry and breathe. As the fish swam around us outside the bubble, I kept thinking back to Aang, wondering what I could do to make him open up. If that big shadow outside weren't waving around, maybe I wouldn't so distracted, and could concentrate on clearing the path ahead.

Suddenly, said shadow burst through the water, sending us reeling and popping or air bubble. Toph did a quick stomp and sent our rock piece above level, otherwise we would suffocate or drown. That gave me the chance to see our intruder, and it wasn't a pretty sight. "I think I just figured out why they call it the Serpent's Pass," Sokka stated through chattering teeth. Indeed, sticking its elongated head out of the water before us was a large scaly green creature with red eyes and rows of sharp teeth. Great, not only was it distracting us, it was eager to chomp us down for lunch!

Then, to everyone's surprise, Aang sent a couple of air blasts at the creature, pushing it back as he ordered me to get everyone across. It stunned me to say the least when Aang took off on his glider, going right after the Serpent. Last time we saw a large aquatic sea monster, the Unagi of Kyoshi Island, Aang was intent on riding it rather than fighting it. Did losing Appa change Aang so much that he was losing his fun side? Just as I created an ice bridge to let everyone cross, I jumped into the water to help Aang, hoping that this colder and less friendly version of him wasn't about to stay for the long term.

Using a piece of ice as a board, I skidded along the water surface, coming straight up to the Serpent, who was now chasing a gliding Aang. Figuring the Serpent wasn't used to colder climates, I tried freezing a portion of its body, hoping it would delay its attacks for a while, giving my friends enough time to finish crossing. Gritting my teeth, I put all my strength into manipulating the water, hoping it would at least stick.

But the Serpent not only broke free, it now targeted me specifically. I could only surf around, trying to avoid the thrashing beast while hoping to get another chance at it. I could barely see or feel anything other than the splash of cold water onto my skin, with only the sounds of the hissing monster and crashes of waves filling my eardrums. From the corner of my eye, I could see the ice bridge I created being shattered by the Serpent's tail. I wasn't sure if everyone crossed, but even if they didn't, I couldn't really do anything at the moment. I really hoped everyone made it through alive, otherwise I shuddered to see Aang's reaction. He was insistent that no more lives should be lost. With this new harsher version, anything could happen should someone die.

Suddenly, the Serpent seemed to be stuck, spinning around in a gigantic whirlpool coming out of nowhere. I surfed in closer, and realized it was Aang creating the vortex, running in a circular path while stirring the water with his staff. I slipped in to help make the formation stronger, hoping to sink the Serpent in one shot. As I spun around with the raging water, I could see Aang's demeanour. His face was stoic, his posture was stiff, and there was absolutely no doubt that he meant business. It almost felt like Aang took issue with the Serpent's aggressiveness to our group, and was out to even the score.

Eventually, the Serpent defeated itself. In its attempt to break free of the vortex, it carried too much momentum and slammed into the mountainous path, knocking itself unconscious. With the path now cleared, Aang and I propelled ourselves back to the group, which, thankfully, was still intact. I sighed out in relief, both at the safety of our team, but also at Aang's efforts. We didn't need any more losses, especially with what trauma my friend had to experience. Now, with nothing but Ba Sing Se ahead of us, maybe we could finally put an end to all the misery back in the desert.

"Oh no, the baby's coming!" Ying, the pregnant wife, called out. It was a flurry of activity from then on, as I had to direct yet another attempt to deal with a life. I didn't even have my mind on Aang, who I hadn't gotten a chance to talk to yet. I was hoping to see if he was still feeling okay, but all that had to wait as I prepared to deliver a baby.

With Toph bending an earth tent, Aang and Sokka fetching water and towels, I had Suki go into the tent with me to deal with Ying. I delivered babies before, both with seals and humans, so I should know what to expect. Getting Ying into a steady breathing rhythm, I gave her instructions along the way. "Get ready to push: one, two, three!"

Before long, the tent was filled with the baby's cries. The tyke was picked up by Suki, who offered to check up on its condition while I tended to Ying. "It's a girl, by the way," Suki called as I dried Ying's sweaty forehead. This was probably one of the most unique trips I had taken so far, with so many possible tragedies, only to be followed by something this fortunate. In the case where many lives might have ended, not only did everyone survive, but one more life began. It was truly a sight to marvel at.

I gave everyone a chance to see the new baby while I got cleaned up as well. I was in doubt most of this time, wondering if Aang would ever get better, but somehow the birth rejuvenated me. It showed me that sometimes, every dip had its rise. No matter how down we might be, there was always reason to be up again. Maybe this was not just a lesson for Aang, but for me, as well as everyone else. There was no meaning in loitering in one or two sad events; we must always look forward, and faced challenges that threatened to block us. The sense of fulfillment and accomplishment only grew with each new goal being met, and would make us all better people along the way.

Just then, Aang approached me, asking if we could talk. I was in the tent earlier when he saw the baby, and still recalled his comment of how the birth gave him hope. Ying decided at the time to name the baby Hope, and on my way out I could see tears leaking from Aang's eyes. Now, with him taking the initiative, maybe we could sort this out. "I thought I was trying to be strong, but really I was just running away from my feelings," Aang described, his tone still tentative. I could tell he was still pained to face his problems, but now, with this incident, it was evident he was trying to change his ways. "Seeing this family together, so full of happiness and love, it reminds me of the way I feel about Appa," he explained, "And how I feel about you." As he finished that sentence, his head tilted up, letting me see him smile for the first time in days.

With tears streaming, we pulled each other into a hug, letting all our feelings show. I was very proud of the way Aang handled himself, and how he truly showed he still cared. It had been a trying few days for us all, and hopefully things were getting better. We still had to get into the city, and had to get plans to find both Appa and the Earth King. But for now, I was satisfied with regaining my friend and just enjoying being in his company again.

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**Toph's POV**

"The Fancy Lady Day Spa? Sounds like my kind of place," I muttered, trying to save myself from the embarrassment of coming to a place like this. Despite being the Earth Kingdom capital, Ba Sing Se was one dull place. Other than fighting a Fire Nation drill trying to penetrate the walls when we first entered, there was absolutely nothing to do here. Now I was stuck with Sugar Queen going off on a girl's day out, which sounded kind of intriguing, until I found out what she was up to.

"Are you ready for some serious pampering?" Katara insisted, dragging me into the building. Usually, I would try to push off, keeping as much distance between her and me as possible. But somehow, I stayed around, thinking maybe hanging out with Katara wasn't so bad after all. Besides, we didn't exactly get off to a good start when we first met, and the desert situation only made things worse for our group dynamics. So perhaps spending some time with Katara might ease some of that tension.

I kept silent as Katara and I were led to a change room, thinking about what sort of pampering she referred to. As the only daughter of a nobleman, pampering was probably the only thing I saw every day, to the point where I was genuinely sick of it. Moreover, my parents' definition of pampering sounded more like being in jail, and that was the very reason why I had to get out of there quickly. That being said, it had been a while since I got massaged, so as long as the attendants didn't touch my feet, I was in.

As I dressed up in only a robe while being guided into a larger room, I really gave my relation to Katara some thought. Normally, anyone who tried to nose their way that deeply into other people's businesses would get a flat-out refusal from me. I was strong and independent, and didn't need Mother Hen over there to tell me what to do. But for some reason, that was all Katara seemed to know, as she always had to tell us to do this or fix that. Why couldn't she just let things be and let us have a bit of fun?

Uh oh, spoke too soon! I barely got a second to think about what I could do to make Katara chill out, other than sitting with her here, when a set of hands gripped my ankles. "Uh, can you not do that, please?" I pleaded, feeling my feet locked into their death grip, "I mean, I'd really appreciate it if you be gentle there…"

Yeow! No such gentleness there, as intense pain resonated from my toes up to my head. Was this a massage parlour, or a torture chamber? Sugar Queen, if this was your way of getting even with me for all the times I snapped at you, then I say well played. If I survived this, I'd make sure to pay you back. I struggled to free myself, as now two sets of hands clamped onto my shoulder, making it really hard to move. With mind numbing pain taking over my body, if only I could get one foot on the ground…

A-ha! One stomp of the foot, and the air was clear. So I might have done some collateral damage, and the ladies working on me might have suffered some cuts and bruises, but everything was okay, right? Well, I didn't hear anything around me, as a strange silence suddenly fell upon the room. I felt awfully alone, almost like I was locked in my room again, until a hand gently wrapped around my wrist. Even without vision, I knew the soft touch belonged to Katara. "Um, perhaps we should move on to something else?" she suggested, slowly pulling me out of my seat.

As she led me from the room, I kind of figured what just happened. It must have been pure humiliation for us, with everyone probably gawking and wondering what a fool like me was doing here. I guessed I didn't do myself any favours, now did I? Even with my stubbornness, sometimes I did find myself asking why I did this at all. Even though I knew sometimes my reactions were unnecessary, I found it difficult to say no to holding my tongue or my bending. Even though Sugar Queen was overly motherly all the time, there was one trait I liked about her, and that was her ability to adapt on the fly. Who would have thought about delivering a baby in an earthen tent?

Going to the next room, I found something much more suitable to my tastes: a mud bath. We stripped off our robes and hoped onto the mud tubs, getting covered by the gooey stuff while drinks were served to us. "At least someone here speaks my language," I commented. I didn't know what Katara was doing right now, but life was great in the mud. Using my bending, I made the mud jiggle and spin from my face, with the only reaction being from the attendants, who screamed and ran in fear.

Surprisingly, I heard laughter from beside me. Apparently, there was more to our Sugar Queen than just being a mother all the time. Not only did she actually have a sense of humour, but it even matched mine somewhat. So maybe it was possible to get along with her, despite disagreeing with her ways of handling people?

We had a quick steam bath, in which both Katara and I did some bending. I sent rocks into the fire while Katara controlled the water, making the heat just right for the both of us. With a little make-up here and there, I would say the day was rewarding, even though I had no idea what I looked like with make-up on. But still, I was refreshed from the trip, and figured that perhaps it was worth it to hang out with Katara. Being with her wasn't so bad, as she showed me there was a non-bossy side to her. Even though I still felt it was kind of girly for me to enter a day spa, I enjoyed it nonetheless, mainly due to Katara being there to guide me through things. If only we could take this same approach to our everyday lives, maybe we could finally really get along.

"Great make-up, for a clown," a very nasty voice sneered from beside me, catching my attention completely. I slowed my steps, trying to feel for the people going past me. Judging by the footsteps and the tone of the voice, I figured it was a group of girls, most likely from noble families, just walking past us in the opposite direction. I wasn't too pleased with the comment, given I had never seen make-up, let alone applied it before. Besides, how pretty did these girls think they were strutting around like that?

Naturally, Katara told me to ignore them, placing a hand on my shoulder and trying to lead me away. Normally, I didn't back down from a fight, but right now I wasn't really in the mood to battle them. That comment not only made fun of my appearance, but also my condition. Given that I was blind, I couldn't see what I looked like, and how the make-up was applied, so how could they start throwing insults like that? "It's like that time you put a sweater on your poodle monkey," another person added, throwing one more putdown my way. Seriously, this was really grating on my nerves.

You know what, guys? You could forget about me holding my tongue, as I was an earth bender, and I would not back down from this. Chuckling sarcastically, I approached their position right in the middle of the bridge. There was a river underneath, meaning they were in perfect position. "You know what else is a good one?" I sneered.

Taking a deep breath, I stomped the ground hard, punching out a hole right under their feet. Before anyone could even react, three splashes echoed from below me, telling me my aim was perfect. I could feel Sugar Queen rushing up to the hole, sticking her head through and chortling at the three now most likely soaking wet imbeciles. "Now that was funny," Katara commented, followed by the sounds of a huge wave washing them downstream. Well, I guessed Katara agreed with me that those three morons ought to be sent down river, straight into the gutter where they belonged with the trash.

As we marched off, I truly felt grateful for Katara's efforts. No one had ever truly stood up for me like that, even during my Earth Rumble battles. All my life, I was either fighting independently or deemed too weak to be a foe. Even though appearances weren't something I could manage, given my blindness, I still appreciated what Katara did. "I don't care what I look like, and I'm not looking for anyone's approval. I know who I am," I told Katara, trying to hold back the tears.

And was it ever ironic that I suddenly found Katara's motherly side ever so comforting, as she complimented me on my strength. "You're so strong, confident, and self-assured. And I know it doesn't matter, but you're really pretty," she responded. Heh, who would have thought the Blind Bandit was a pretty girl?

I kind of let the tears flow for a moment, trying to sort out the emotional wreck that I was right now. As I thought back at my time with the group, from the moment I joined the team to being here in Ba Sing Se, Katara was the one who was strong as a rock. She led us through the desert when we lost Appa, she led us through the Serpent's Pass with Ying's pregnancy, and she battled the Fire Nation drill while the military force at Ba Sing Se wimped out. Even though I still couldn't quite bring myself to accept her bossy and authoritative side yet, maybe having that around wasn't a bad thing. "I'd return the compliment, but I have no idea what you look like," I stated, wiping my tears dry, "Thank you, Katara." I concluded with a punch to her shoulder. Hey, if Katara showed love by giving compliments, then I showed it with a sock to her arm. Who said we weren't a big happy family right now?

________________________________________

**Katara's POV**

"Why did they throw you in here?" I demanded at the seated figure. What turned out to be a safe haven for Earth Kingdom citizens was actually a dangerous powder keg. Ba Sing Se was run pretty much entirely by its secret police, the Dai Li. When our group infiltrated the palace to inform the Earth King of the Fire Nation's threat, we found out that the head of the Dai Li, Long Feng, was the one actually in charge. He created a city that not only was uninformed, but completely unaware of the war.

Luckily, a visit to the outer walls of Ba Sing Se, where the defeated Fire Nation drill still stood, finally convinced the Earth King of the conspiracy. It led to Long Feng's arrest and the approval of Earth Kingdom troops to be used to invade the Fire Nation on the Day of Black Sun. We also found out that Long Feng kept from us letters from important individuals, such as a guru offering to teach Aang how to master the Avatar State, and my father who was providing back-up to the Earth Kingdom with his fleet stationed at Chameleon Bay. I volunteered to stay behind to plan the invasion with the generals, and I got the shock of a lifetime when I saw Zuko and his uncle serving tea in the city. Knowing their appearance here, this could only mean trouble.

"Oh wait, let me guess. It's a trap, so that when Aang shows up to help me, you can finally have him in your little Fire Nation clutches," I snapped. I got back to the palace to inform the Kyoshi Warriors, who happened to arrive the day Aang, Sokka, and Toph took off for their respective locations. But who I thought were Suki and her friends turned out to be Azula and her minions in disguise. The acrobat, Ty Lee, paralyzed me again, and threw me in this underground chamber. I was wondering how I could get out until I got company in the form of the seated figure I was chewing out right now.

"You're a terrible person, you know that? Always following us, hunting the Avatar, trying to capture the world's last hope for peace," I continued ranting, letting all the pent-up steam in the open. Said seated person was none other than Zuko, who somehow got tossed down here by the Dai Li. As if getting outsmarted by his sister wasn't enough, now I have to deal with this disgusting human being? Given how badly he wanted his honour back, it wouldn't surprise me if he joined them in getting trapped down here on purpose, so that he could get Aang for himself and claimed all the glory.

"But what do you care? You're the Fire Lord's son. Spreading war, and violence, and hatred is in your blood," I spat, letting him hear it from me. Just Zuko's presence here was enough to make me recall all the nasty things he did. He attempted multiple captures of Aang, including in situations where our lives were placed in direct danger. And even though he didn't do it, he indirectly led to the death of Yue, who gave her life to the Moon Spirit that was killed by one of his nation's troops. If there was someone more despicable than Zuko, I hadn't met them. "You have no idea what this war has put me through, me personally. The Fire Nation took my mother away from me." I was all-out pouring it out now, tears and sweat combining and draining down. I recalled the most painful experience of them all, the death of my mother at the hands of the Fire Nation. How dared Zuko claim I had no idea what it was like for him?

But then, Zuko said the most shocking thing ever. Turning around to face me, he told me it was one thing him and I had in common. By now, I was on the ground, bent over and shedding my fair share of tears. It was one of the most tragic incidents ever, and I would never forget how much pain I was in after I learned Mom was gone forever, even though it had been years after the incident. But to hear Zuko claimed that he too lost a loved one due to the war, now that was a surprise. Was he telling the truth, or perhaps he did this to butter me up for slaughter again? Wiping my tears away, I decided to turn around and take a listen. "How was what happened to you a tragedy?" I asked.

Suddenly, the fact that Zuko was my enemy seemed irrelevant. I was absorbed into his tale, hearing Zuko described how his mother was one person he always looked up to, and he bonded the best with her. He told me how his father supposedly was given orders to kill him, but his mother took action instead. He never told me what the action was, other than that his grandfather, Fire Lord Azulon ended up dead. Zuko's father Ozai then took the throne, while his mother Ursa completely disappeared. "The next few years were just horrible, with my father and Azula picking on me every chance they got," he explained, "It ended with a fire duel between my father and me. He burned my face, and I was banished from the Fire Nation. The only way I could return was if I caught the Avatar."

It was a complete reversal, as I went from steaming mad to sympathetic. I wasn't aware of the fact that Zuko had such a history within his own family, and Aang wasn't just a saviour for the world, but a burden to Zuko. For Azula and Ozai to put Zuko through all this, that was just horrible. And given that Zuko had Iroh to turn to as a mentor, it wasn't overly different than my current situation, where I turned to Gran Gran for support whenever I needed it. When all was said and done, it made me realize just how narrow-minded I was in thinking Zuko was bad all the time. "For so long now, whenever I imagine the face of the enemy, it was your face," I murmured.

We got back to our feet, now better informed of each other's situations. "I used to think this scar marked me," Zuko continued, rubbing the burned tissue around his left eye, "The mark of a banished prince cursed to chase the Avatar forever. But lately, I realized that I am free to determine my destiny, even if I'll never be free of my mark." The sadness Zuko showed when he talked about that scar, and the hesitance in his tone when he talked about being free, I couldn't help but wholeheartedly agree with him. If we could free Zuko from this situation, maybe he could return to the Fire Nation and showed its people there was no need to fight this war at all.

My hand had a mind of its own as it grabbed onto a small vial hanging from my neck. It contained water from the Spirit Oasis at the North Pole, which was given to me by Pakku after we saved the Northern Water Tribe from the siege. I didn't know why I was doing this, but something told me I had to use it on Zuko as a way to permanently remove that scar. "I've been saving this for something important," I explained, slowly approaching Zuko. I was still unsure of my reasoning for this, but it almost felt like I went too far to stop. Zuko and I were face-to-face now, so close that I could examine the damaged tissue firsthand.

Hesitantly, I pressed a hand on the scar. The rough, almost sandy texture truly surprised me, both in its composition and in how close-up I was to it. Even yesterday, had anyone told me I would be here with Zuko, touching his face and using spiritual water on him, I would have told them they were nuts. But now, after hearing his story, I couldn't think of anything but helping him out. There was so much more he could have done with his life, so many other choices he could have made. But he was never given that chance due to the Agni Kai, which led to the scarring and banishment. If I removed it, then not only would he no longer be reminded of that terrible event, but I would also free him from his mission to hunt Aang. Maybe, just maybe, Aang would no longer be subject to harassment from Zuko, and the two could even join forces in ending the war.

A huge rumble shook the entire chamber, interrupting me before I could take the water out of the vial. I turned to the source of the sound, which was now covered with dust and smoke. I really wasn't in the mood to deal with the Dai Li again, so if they were to come down to harass me, they would be in for a fight. But by the time it cleared up, there was no need for a fight at all. "Aang!" I called, recognizing the bald head with the blue arrow making its way over. Along with my friend was another figure that I had contact with before, one that was significant to Zuko: General Iroh.

My natural instincts took over as Aang and I pulled into a hug, all the while Iroh tended to Zuko. There was a bit of initial bickering between Aang and Zuko, with Zuko clearly unimpressed with Aang's presence while Aang sarcastically responded that he actually was trying to save Zuko. Before things got worse, Iroh told Aang and me to leave first while he spoke with Zuko. As Aang and I exited via a nearby passage, I turned back to look at Zuko one last time, my eyes never leaving that scar. Obviously, my main priority was to get out with Aang safely, but if I ever had a chance to see Zuko again, and there was Spirit Oasis water left, I would definitely use that on him. He went through too much to continue suffering, and it was only right that our group helped him. Hopefully, if I got a chance to discuss this with Aang, Aang would accept this proposition.

I barely noticed the features of this next room, which seemed larger than that cubbyhole they shoved me in earlier, before a sizzle echoed through the air. Aang pushed me out of the way, lifting a block of earth to block it before the rocky pieces shattered and sent him flying backwards. I looked up in time to see Azula, still in her Earth Kingdom disguise, marching cruelly up to us. Knowing her power in bending and other fighting skills, I knew this match would be tough for us both.

Looking around, I used the water flowing in the nearby sewer as my weapon, whipping up as much of it as possible and sending it straight at Azula. But to my horror, not only did she disperse my water, she vaporized it, turning my water into nothing but hot steam. With the water vapour surrounding me, I couldn't notice until the last second Azula jumping through the fog, both hands shooting blue flame at us. Even with both Aang and I using the water as a shield, the heat was still overwhelming, almost like Azula wanted to cook us alive. By the time it ended, she was right between Aang and me, both hands pointing at us and staring at us viciously. I quickly assessed our chances, as we all had difficulty taking out Azula in the deserted town. But with every element but fire available here, perhaps Aang and I still stood a chance against her.

Oops, spoke too soon, as another large fireball thundered down between us. Zuko soon appeared into my vision, and tilted his eyes between Azula and Aang. I didn't know what Iroh said to him in the previous chamber, nor did I have any idea where Iroh was now. But for me, I really hoped Zuko would make the right choice to help Aang. He told me how he was ashamed of always being branded as the banished prince, and now that he was in Ba Sing Se, he wanted to be free. If he didn't want to be haunted by that scar for the rest of his life, then he better help us get out. You would make the right choice, right?

And my intuition seemed to fare worse than Sokka's, as Zuko now turned his fists at Aang and blasted away. I was in total shock at why he would do such a thing. Didn't I already get through to him to convince him to change? After all the tragedies he went through, including the supposed death of his mother, he still didn't see why he had to leave Azula's side and joined ours? I even offered to heal his scar, giving him a new chance to ally with Aang, and even then that wasn't good enough? Whatever the case, there wasn't any chance for me to confront that traitor now, with Azula getting one-on-one time with me. If I ever got a chance at Zuko, I would drown him for sure!

I managed to coat myself with water and went straight in against Azula. It was like my brain was no longer in control, as I was only intent on seeing the Fire Nation princess get defeated. Feeling my anger in every move, I constricted the water whips around the right arm and left leg of Azula, twisting her around in an awkward pose. For a while, I could see Azula struggle to move, her dynamic punches and kicks couldn't get off the ground. Even though I bound her in place, I didn't know how long they could last, given how crafty Azula could be. But for Aang's sake, I had to hold on.

Just as the tension reached its breaking point, I was sent hurling back, my water splashing down and evaporating. My back seared in pain as I looked up to see none other than that quisling Zuko lumbering up to me. There was no mistaking the look on his face, as his mission was pretty much bending to kill. Picking up whatever water remaining around me, I covered my arms with them and lashed out at Zuko, taking my anger out on him. "I thought you had changed," I hissed, striking at his direction mercilessly.

But Zuko was ready for my attacks, as his fire whips blocked my every shot. "I have changed," he responded, his voice emotionless but also arrogant. It almost felt like he was taunting me with his decision to side with Azula. Well Zuko, you wanted change, then you would get it, because I've changed too. From now on, we were sworn enemies, and if Aang got hurt then there would be no way that I would ever forgive you for this.

I didn't know how long the sparring went, nor how Aang was doing at the moment. My arms were getting fatigued, and there was very little energy left in my body. Still, I had to hold on, for both Aang and the world. I couldn't let Ba Sing Se fall, not when they were pretty much the last hope for the world against the Fire Nation. Zuko, with this move, pretty sealed his fate, as there was no way he could turn back. In what I thought could be a noble move to let him be the hero with Aang, he chose to go back to his violent and bloodthirsty family, opting to go under Azula's control rather than be his own man. Perhaps he had a stake in this after all, as by defeating us right now, he would look good in front of his father and reclaimed his place in his nation. Yeah right, if his father didn't get mad at him for something else and burned the other side of his face first!

That mean thought was the instant of missing concentration needed for Zuko to tap out a weak point in my rhythm, and I was punished with a violent push into the back. My spine nearly shattered as I collapsed to the ground, pain numbing my whole body. I couldn't see clearly, but I could hear another figure march up to Zuko, holding a set of blue flames. Around me, plops of feet landing on the earth echoed, most likely due to the Dai Li finally arriving here. I could barely peel myself off the ground, with most of my bones clacking inside. With dark robed figures surrounding me, I could only play defence for now, creating an octopus with the nearby water and hoped to fend them off.

Another furious round of battle ensued, with only my adrenaline pushing me on as the Dai Li swung their rocks at me. Even though I was always the hopeful one, I could feel that hope slipping as the sheer quantity of Dai Li agents just overwhelmed me. Just when I neared the point of collapse, a huge pillar of light blasted from behind me, making this dim chamber brighter than the desert sun. I turned around and saw my friend floating in the middle of that column, his arrows and eyes brighter than ever. I was in total awe, but also so proud of him, as Aang seemed to have finally mastered the Avatar State. Now with this power, maybe not only could he defeat the Fire Lord, Aang could truly let go of his fear of harming others, and truly accept his identity as the Avatar.

And the second that thought passed, a bolt of lightning sliced through Aang, courtesy of Azula. A mix of emotions blasted through my mind, ranging from sadness, shock, anger, pain, and even disappointment. Losing the Avatar State's powers was one thing, but with a shot like that, Aang could very well lose his life. Creating a huge wave, I surfed my way over to my friend, not even caring for the Dai Li or the Fire Nation royal siblings. Right now, they were all the lowest of the low, as taking a precious human life was absolutely despicable. Add to the fact that they took the Avatar's life, it was totally unacceptable to me. Picking up Aang's lifeless body, I let the tears shed as I examined him. Other than the burned smell from his skin, there were no vital signs.

Luckily, one Fire Nation member was kind enough to let us out. No, it sure wasn't the two villainous siblings, but their uncle Iroh, who somehow made his way here. "You've got to get out of here. I'll hold them off as long as I can!" He yelled to me. Well, I guessed there was one good person in this nation of thugs, but I doubted he could last for long. Even if he were the greatest fire bender alive, there was no way the Dai Li would let him off the hook. Nodding to Iroh in gratitude, I created a jet of water to launch Aang and me out of here. I could only hope Iroh made it out alive after this.

Not a word was spoken as I dragged Aang to Appa, who was waiting outside. Sokka and Toph managed to get out alive, successfully protecting the Earth King (and surprisingly, his pet bear Bosco). "We have to get out of here, now," I stated, my voice barely above a mutter. With the Dai Li still below us, who knew how long it would be before they shot up from underground and captured us again?

Well, so much for using the Spirit Oasis water on Zuko. I told him that I would only use this for something important, and here was an important case now. With Aang barely alive, I had to do what it took to heal him. Pouring all the content out that vial, I spun it around on my palm before pressing it straight into Aang's back. The flesh was burned to a crisp, courtesy of Azula's lightning bolt. Aang let out a couple of groans as I pressed it in, by that was enough to lift my spirits. My friend, I knew, was going to live, and hopefully, if he recovered soon, he could fight another day.

As we flew away from the Earth Kingdom, I could only wonder what would happen to the world in the next few months. The comet was arriving soon, and there was truly no more areas not affected by the Fire Nation. The chances for us to fight back were still available, but with Aang the way he was, it was getting slimmer day by day. But for some reason, there was still hope left in me. We survived all sorts of hardships just to get us this far, so there was no way it should end now. Even with Aang's injury, I still felt he could bounce back and win the war. As for Zuko, he made himself lower than trash today with his betrayal, and he better hoped Aang spared him if we ever invaded.

But for now, I was just happy to have kept my head, and that my friend was still alive. I had no idea what would happen next, but as long as Aang was with me, I was content. Maybe, just maybe, there was still a way to bring peace to the world.


	24. Katara, Part 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Each character grows up with a set of experiences unique to themselves. Watch each person describe what went through their minds and how they changed as they reacted to the world. These are their stories, these are their rites of passage.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: Michael DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko own Avatar.

**Katara's POV**

"I'm not going out if I can't wear my arrow proudly!" Aang snapped, whipping his head away from Sokka. I never imagined hearing Aang's emotional side being such a relief, as a few weeks ago I couldn't hear Aang at all. During the coup at Ba Sing Se, Aang tried to enter the Avatar State to take on Azula, Zuko, and the Dai Li, only to have Azula shoot him with lightning, rendering him unconscious. Luckily, I had the Spirit Oasis water with me, and I was able to use it on Aang. I didn't really know what I was doing, other than dumping it all onto his wound and hoping it would work. I guessed miracles did happen, right?

But it was a really different Aang that appeared before us, his cheerfulness replaced with a cold, bitter, and cynical tone. Sokka guided us back to Dad, who was stationed in Chameleon Bay during the coup. While the Earth King went off journeying on his own, Dad's crew captured a Fire Nation ship, using it as our disguise as we went into enemy territory. Sokka was trying to be practical by having Aang pretend to be dead until the solar eclipse, giving us the element of surprise when we attacked, but Aang flat-out refused to wear the headband. Right now, I had to diffuse this awkward situation before it got worse.

"You guys go ahead without us," I suggested, shooing Sokka and Toph out of the room. Even a simple trip into town to buy food was becoming explosive, so it was best I calmed Aang down before an all-out brawl occurred. As the twosome left the room, I sat down next to Aang, who flipped onto the bed and turned his head away from everyone. Layers of bandages wrapped around his chest and abdomen, an indication of how serious the burns from Azula were. Not only that, weeks of being stuck in a coma made him unable to shave his head, covering his arrow with a layer of dark brown. Sitting next to him, I tried to gauge him, hoping he still wanted to talk.

Taking a deep breath, I tried to reason with Aang. "I think I understand why being a secret bothers you so much," I began, trying to sympathize with him the best I could, "You don't want people to think you failed." Countless times, Aang was reminded of how he supposedly shirked his duties for a century. While he was in that iceberg, thousands, if not millions, had died in this painful war. Now, for him to go through this again, it must be torture for Aang.

"You're right, I don't. But the problem is, I did fail!" Aang ranted, a nasty and unnatural scowl etched onto his face, "I was there, but I lost, and now the Earth Kingdom had fallen for good. And I hate the invasion plan too. I don't want you or anyone else risking their lives to fix my mistakes!" Aang further accentuated that by grabbing the Fire Nation flag hanging on his bed and ripping it off entirely. It almost shocked me how angry he suddenly became, almost like he was back in the Avatar State incidents again. Surely he wasn't blaming it all on himself, was he? We were all available to help him, so why wouldn't he let us in?

By the time Aang settled down a bit, I was pretty much speechless. "I've always known that I would have to face the Fire Lord," he stated gravely, "But now I know I have to do it alone. Katara, please, just go." Even though he wasn't dismissive, his posture told me everything. "I need to redeem myself," he added, "I need my honour back." With him being an emotional wreck, even reaching out to him was a difficult task. With the dim lighting still cast onto my friend, I left the room, feeling my words inadvertently made things worse.

My mind was a mess as I returned to the upper deck of the ship, wondering what Aang thinking was when he told us to get out of his problem. I had known Aang for almost half a year now, and never had I seen him this isolated before. I understood that he took it upon himself to rectify this mistake, but it wasn't entirely his fault. We had a string of unfortunate incidents that cumulated into this result, with Azula staging a coup, Zuko's betrayal of Iroh, and even the Earth King falling into manipulation by Long Feng. There was absolutely no need to carry this burden alone, so why was Aang so insistent in trying to fix something we're to do together?

I waited until Sokka and Toph returned with food before going back to Aang. I hoped with something hot inside his belly, Aang would at least not be so fatigued and hungry, and was willing to touch base on a few issues again. While Sokka made a good plan by using a ragtag team of our allies from around the Earth Kingdom, we still had to work out some details on how Aang would attack the palace and the Fire Lord. We were going to discuss them earlier, but then the Fire Nation naval patrol attacked, causing us to go on the defensive while keeping Aang hidden. Had it not been the Serpent from the Serpent's Pass appearing, we might have never gotten away from the assailants. As I carried to food to Aang's room, I could only hope he had enough energy to still eat. He was in no condition to do any fighting, that's for sure.

"I brought you some food," I stated as I marched in, half-expecting Aang to still be on the bed. But to my horror, there was no sound. In fact, there was no one in that room. Aang disappeared without a trace, and from what I saw, took his staff with him. My deepest fears were confirmed as I replayed his earlier words. He wanted to face the Fire Lord alone, and left without us. Dropping all the food I held earlier, I immediately turned and raced for the upper deck.

I found Dad standing there with Bato, inspecting the ship's current condition. Upon seeing me, Bato excused himself, leaving my father alone with me. "Aang, he just took his glider and disappeared," I informed Dad, tears already spilling out my eyes, "He has this ridiculous notion that he has to save the world alone." Right now, I was left all alone again, with the one I loved and cared about the most deserting me. It reminded me of what happened two and a half years ago, when all the men left my tribe. It was a sense of helplessness that I would never forget, the thought of me having no true parent leaving me sad, bitter, and resentful.

Dad tried to assure me that Aang was merely trying to be brave, but that was nothing more than an excuse, and an unacceptable one to say the least. "It's not brave. It's selfish, and stupid!" I ranted at Dad, letting my anger all out in one go, "We could be helping him, and I know the world needs him, but doesn't he know how much that we need him too? How can he just leave us behind?" I finished with my chest heaving up and down, the ocean breezes now howling past me in a surprisingly cold temperature for a supposedly warm summer night.

Dad king of figured out what I was leading him into. Not only was Aang's departure similar to his departure, the way I felt about Aang leaving was identical to the way I felt about him leaving. "How could you leave us Dad?" I demanded, "I know we had Gran Gran, and she loved us, but we were just so lost without you." I felt myself collapsing into Dad, too weak to do anymore. "I know that you had to go, so why do I still feel this way? I'm so sad, angry, and hurt." I couldn't do anymore but sob as I felt Dad's arms wrap around me.

Dad's response to me was the most touching thing I had heard in years, as he told me he never intended to abandon us at all. "I love you more than anything. You and your brother are my entire world," he replied, his voice subdued and emotional as well, "I thought about you every day I was gone. And every night, when I went to sleep, I would lie awake missing you so much that it would ache." It might be a simple few lines, but at least it showed that the one I loved and cared for truly did love and cared back. Now if only Aang could see the same thing.

But Dad's words did offer me one thing: a chance to compromise. While I did believe that Aang bolted all because he couldn't think it through, I felt it wasn't beyond repair. If we reached him in time, before he hurt himself more, we could still convince him to stay. Thanking my father for his support, I ran downstairs to the living quarters and summoned Toph and Sokka. I was still quite nervous and shocked, but at least I wasn't an emotional wreck. "Aang disappeared," I informed Toph and Sokka, "He claimed he wanted to save the world alone and didn't want us to tag along. We have to find him before he gets hurt."

The three of us immediately set out on Appa, hoping to locate Aang in this vast ocean. The storms arrived just as we took off, almost like nature itself wanted to hinder our search. I didn't know what Aang got himself into, but I truly hoped he would turn out alright. I didn't know Fire Nation geography well, given that the only place we spent any significant amount of time at was Roku's temple. And given the harsh weather, it would be more difficult for us to navigate. Aang, no matter what, please don't get hurt. I had no more spirit water or any other supernatural healing substances. If we lost you again, I really didn't know what I would do.

Suddenly, the moon shined in a strange fashion, followed by an unnatural wave pushing away from us. "Look at that," I pointed out, pulling at Sokka's shirt. I knew the Avatar was the connection between our world and the Spirit World, and Yue was now the Moon Spirit. With the moon's strange glow and sudden increase in waves in a direction contrary to the winds, I knew Aang must be involved in this. "Let's go closer that way," I suggested, pulling on Appa's reins.

It was morning by the time we arrived at the closest island, which coincidentally happened to be Roku's home island. We scanned the shores and saw exactly what we sought: a robed figure with several bandages across his body lying peacefully near the water. A sense of relief washed over me, like the waves washing over Aang right now, as we landed Appa and rushed to my friend. When Aang awoke, showing us that he was unhurt, I couldn't help but put him in the biggest hug I could ever muster. Aang, don't ever leave me like that again.

We then decided on the spot that us four, along with Appa and Momo, would travel away from the invasion team for a while. It was best that we laid low in the Fire Nation, so that we wouldn't bring unnecessary attention to ourselves. Aang, sacrificing his own traditions for the sake of the invasion, chose to accept Sokka's advice and donned the headband. But in an even bigger gesture, he abandoned his glider. "It's better for now that no one knows I'm alive," he stated, climbing up the hill and slamming his staff into the molten lava.

As Aang boarded Appa again, I realized what a big move this was for him. I didn't know what spiritual advice, if any, he got from his journey away from us, but I was glad it all worked out for him. As I mentioned to him before, the best way to deal with a problem was to face it rather than avoided it. It was better for Aang to accept defeat for now, and challenged the Fire Lord later on, during the eclipse. No matter what happened, I would be there to support him all the way. We were friends that cared for one another, and nothing in the world could change that.

________________________________________

**Katara's POV**

Music filled the cave that was our temporary home as Fire Nation students slowly filed in, most of them wearing very hesitant faces. Shortly after our group left the ship, we landed deeper into the Fire Nation. To better disguise ourselves, we ditched much of our old clothing, and I had to put away my mother's necklace. Even though I didn't throw it away, merely keeping it in my back pocket for storage, I still felt awkward not wearing it, given how much it meant to me. But for the sake of our survival, sentimental items had to wait.

But the most surprising twist had to be with Aang, who swiped a Fire Nation school uniform and was mistaken by the authorities to be a student skipping classes. While Sokka and I originally had doubts about him intermingling with the enemy, Aang insisted that we allowed him to stay. He was having fun for once and wanted to give the Fire Nation students a taste of freedom. Both Sokka and I realized that any of those kids could have gone to the authorities had they found out about our identities. But for some reason, Toph found it intriguing, claiming that we didn't exactly have a record on openness either. "If Twinkle Toes wanted to change the world, maybe it was right to start with the young," she pointed out.

And that was where we found ourselves, seated to the side while Aang addressed his so-called classmates, who seemed to be in total confusion regarding what they were supposed to do in a dance party. "Dancing isn't something you think about," I heard Aang describe to the Fire Nation kids, "It’s a form of self-expression that no one can ever take away from you." For a while, it almost felt like Aang was inspiring the kids to break free. It reminded me of how nervous I was when Aang first offered to learn water bending with me, and how long it took before I broke free of all my obstacles just to get to where I was today. Whatever the case, Aang had a way with people around him, and hopefully it got through to these students.

Aang then demonstrated some classic dances for the kids, prancing around and did a few somersaults. I thought it looked awkward at first, but soon found it quite interesting. I never saw these dances before. Any worries about the safety of our group soon dissipated as I was entirely absorbed by Aang's dances, watching his every move. "Who knew Twinkle Toes could dance?" Toph, who sat beside me, commented. And for once, I couldn't help but agree with her.

I filled cups of water for myself and Toph, just enjoying the scene as Aang approached each student, hoping they would join in. Finally, a girl about Aang's size took up the offer, slowly getting to the dance floor with Aang. I didn't know what was going on, but suddenly I felt like I ought to do something. I had known Aang for longer, and probably knew him better than this girl, so why didn't he approach me instead? He knew where I was, right? "They look pretty good together," Sokka remarked, still wearing his fake beard. Well, if that's what he liked, then go ahead. But I knew if Aang was dancing with me, we would certainly steal the show.

Before long, the students started getting in the act, dancing en mass as Aang directed everyone to go free style. It was truly amazing, as what we expected to be a bunch of deprived little fire monsters turned out to be more similar to us than imagined. Just like us, they longed for some relaxation and entertainment, and definitely strived to be free. If this plan ever worked out, and the next generation of Fire Nation citizens ever become cooperative with the world, perhaps this incident would be the initiating point for them.

Suddenly, Aang approached me with an extended hand, catching me off guard. While I was moping about him not choosing me earlier, now for some reason I didn't want to dance. Was I too afraid of being embarrassed? I couldn't be falling for Aang, could I? "I don't know, Aang," I stuttered, trying not to make eye contact with him, "These shoes aren't really right for dancing, and I'm not sure that I know how to..." I fidgeted non-stop, twirling my hair while feeling really hot under the collar. Oh, why did I have to choke up now?

But Aang was a wall of confidence, asking me to take his hand as he led me to the dance floor. Luckily, no eyes turned to my direction yet, or I couldn't possibly imagine how bad I would look should I slip up. Leaning his head to my ear, Aang whispered, "Just think of our dance as a variation of our bending styles. If we kept the elements out, it would be the same."

Taking a bow, we faced each other and lifted one hand, slowly circling each other as I tried to catch the rhythm of the music. I was still trembling all over, too nervous to even look around. Right now, it felt like Aang was the one to comfort and guide me, which was ironic since that was the role I pledged to serve to Aang when our journey first started. Maybe it was a sign of how he grew, I guessed. The one who required help was now the one offering back. If this all worked out in the end, then I would be really proud of Aang, again.

Before long, I felt several people near us stop dancing, their eyes completely glued to us as we continued our sequence. "Don't worry about them," Aang soothed, "It's just you and me right now." Well, I guessed it was like our water bending lessons, right? Mostly it was just him and me in the water, practicing our old techniques and thinking up of new ones. As I imagined us circling each other in the water, I could feel the tremors on my body ease up.

Just like our water bending, which involved circular motion, we added more complicated moves into our routine. Grabbing hands, we pulled to opposite directions, letting our momentum carry us as I ducked under a high leg kick from Aang. Our bodies spun together as we sailed through the air, twisting through the crowd like the time Aang and I were bending a cloud while on Appa. Somersaults followed flips as we flew unafraid, the world stopping for a moment just to let us finish our dance. As I spun for the last time, I grabbed Aang's hand again, landing perfectly onto his arm as I stared up at my friend. We were both exhausted, but we both had a great time. For the first time since the coup at Ba Sing Se, I had no worries on my mind.

Oops, spoke too soon, as suddenly an imposing man came to the mouth of the cave along with several uniformed Fire Nation individuals. I recognized the tall, grey-haired man as the headmaster of the school Aang attended earlier, and he was surely peeved about this unexpected dance party. Realizing the authorities were with him, we immediately raced out the back. "Aang placed Aapa out in the back, right? It should give us a quick escape," Sokka stated, reaching the Sky Bison first. Whatever the case, that was just way too close for comfort.

We waited a few more minutes before Aang arrived, hopping on Appa before taking off. He told me the students offered him an escape route by having everyone wear their belts on their heads like a headband, the way Aang wore it currently to cover his tattoo. As we entered the night sky, Toph made another comment that I felt was truly right, "I think you really did help those kids. You taught them to be free." Hopefully those students could take that lesson with them as we ended the war, making it so that they could inspire others to be free as well.

"Well, that was some dance party, Aang," I commented, expressing my gratitude to him with a peck on the cheek. I didn't know if Aang realized it, but the past few weeks had been really hard on all of us. But for a while, I felt things were like the way they were when we first left the Southern Water Tribe. Maybe if we wanted to change the world, we had to change first. For me to see this experience firsthand, it really enriched me. And for Aang to take the lead this time, letting those kids see what the world was truly like, it was something I would never forget.

________________________________________

**Katara's POV**

"I can't be around you right now!" Toph screamed, storming off into the distance. Our undercover journey in the Fire Nation took an unexpected turn, with serious infighting within our group taking centre stage. No, it wasn't Aang going Avatar State on everyone, nor was it Sokka getting us lost (and then getting high on some weird substance). Rather, it was Miss I'm-Too-Good-to-Contribute-Positively again. Just when I had to put everything for our camp together for our group, Toph went into the nearby town and started a bunch of scams to so-called boost our finances. I admitted that as foreigners, Fire Nation currency wasn't exactly plentiful for us. But with our identities on the line, shouldn't we keep as low a profile as possible?

Apparently, that spoiled brat didn't think so, as she convinced Sokka and Aang to go along with her schemes. The two boys were, to no one's surprise, so incredibly immature and stupid that they thought it was fun, and kept going and going until they made themselves a bunch of wanted criminals. Well, more specifically, Toph, as I found this wanted poster of her in her bag. Sure, I went through her stuff, and it got her all steaming mad, but when you're going into town day after day, each time exiting with enough goods to fill a mansion, wouldn't people around get suspicious at you? I was surprised she didn't get caught sooner!

"Well, I can't be around you!" I retorted, storming off in the opposite direction. I didn't know if it was because they didn't know how to respond, or if they just didn't have the guts to do it, but neither Sokka nor Aang did the right thing and spoke up against Toph. I had never seen such yellow-bellied cowards in my life. Why was I always surrounded by idiots? I sat down at a boulder near the edge and stared into the sunset, wondering when the madness would end.

As time slowly passed, I thought about the nastiness between Toph and me. I thought we worked something out in Ba Sing Se, when I tried to be positive around Toph, making her feel more welcome in our group. For a while, things were okay, as we could at least work together to serve greater goals (such as getting Aang and the Earth King out of Ba Sing Se during the coup). But lately, she really tested my patience, to the point where she openly refused my every request to her. It wasn't her defiance and rebelliousness that bothered me, but the nasty names she called. What in the world made her think she could compare me to her own mother? I was way better than that repressive woman who wouldn't even let Toph step out of her own house. Besides, I didn't act motherly all the time. What's wrong with telling people to serve the group better?

A failed attempt by Sokka to solve things just pushed things over the edge. My idiot brother apparently thought it was real funny to send me an apology letter with Toph's forged signature. Toph was blind, so how could she write? Feeling the need to just get away from this group of morons, I climbed down the cliff and into the water below. Perhaps a cool bath could get my mind off this matter, and back onto the important task of managing our team.

The water never felt so good as I submerged myself in the liquid, enjoying the rays of the setting sun reflect off its surface. Since the dance at the cave, we did a lot during our venture in the Fire Nation. I proposed an idea to turn back a state-run factory that was destroying a river, getting help from my group in the process. Sokka was accepted by a swordsman named Piandao, adding swordsmanship to his trade. And Aang returned to the Spirit World to reunite with Roku, learning significant things about his predecessor that could be used in our battle. Through it all, our group dynamics were solid, our team members more cooperative than ever before. But with Toph's recklessly irresponsible scams, it threatened to tear us apart again. Was it really that hard to keep things as one? Why was it that someone had to do something against our overall safety?

Suddenly, a pair of voices sliced into my mind. "She's always got to be right about everything, and she's bossy and involved and in your business," Sokka stated, followed by a curt response from Toph asking how anyone could deal with it, or more specifically, me. Oh, so publicly calling me out and humiliating me wasn't enough, now you had to get in Sokka's face and blow more steam on me? If I wasn't naked right now, I bend a couple of icicles upward right now, and pin you straight through the bedrock. I'd like to see you trash-talk me then!

Then, Sokka told her an unexpected story, one relating to our shared pasts. "When our mom died, that was the hardest time in my life. Our family was a mess," he explained, going back several years into our childhood, "But Katara, she had so much strength. She stepped up and took on so much responsibility. She helped fill the void that was left by our mom." Oh great. Didn't Toph say she resented mothers? So wouldn't saying that just lead her to get angrier at me, and wanted to find more ways to humiliate me?

The surprises continued, as Toph mellowed down and conceded she never thought of mothers (and my actions) that way. ""I never told anyone this before, but honestly, I'm not sure if I can remember what my mother looked like," Sokka continued, "It really seems like my whole life, Katara has been the one looking out for me. She's always been the one that's there. And now, when I try to remember my mom, Katara is always the first one I think of." Wow, I never would have imagined Sokka saying that about me. Back then, he was the one barking orders at kids and harping at girls to do his chores for him, all because he was the big, tough male warrior defending our people. Well, at least he was grateful about it, unlike the one he's talking to now.

Then, in the biggest shock of them all, Toph gave a monologue that could beat any sad story I had ever heard. "The truth is, sometimes Katara does act motherly, but that's not always a bad thing. She's compassionate and kind, and she cares about me. You know, the real me. That's more than my own mother," she described. While I couldn't see anything from down here, I could tell Toph was most likely holding back tears, if they hadn't fallen already. So deep down inside, Toph did appreciate my actions, and had wanted to be more positive with me. So where did things go wrong? Why couldn't Toph show this side even though it was there?

But then, I thought about my own actions, and I realized the very reason. Perhaps I was a bit overbearing, and I being direct and to-the-point came across as blunt and bossy. Toph had a rough childhood, given the very inconsiderate people she had for parents, and it was only natural that she wasn't very trusting. It didn't excuse her actions, and I hoped she would sit down with me and sorted them out, but at least I knew what I could do to change for the better. Dragging myself out of the water, I heard enough. But before we left this region, perhaps I could do one thing to start a better relationship. Wonder if Toph was in for the biggest scam of her life?

________________________________________

**Toph's POV**

"See, this is exactly why I'm against these scams!" Katara's persistent ranting really grated on my nerves as we sat in this wooden cell. I never really expected Katara to offer to run a scam with me, so I was shocked when she suggested one that could gain a larger sum of money than anything I had done before. Originally, I wasn't going to do any more scams. Sokka's words really got through to me, as I wanted to apologize to Katara for the nasty way I treated her. She wasn't really being a mother or a spoilsport by asking us to stop, but merely trying to care for us. I couldn't hold a grudge against her for that, right?

But Sugar Queen made the biggest surprise ever when she insisted that I pretended to be captured, letting Katara collect the large sum of money posed as a reward. My scams really got the town talking, to the point where the authorities posted wanted poster demanding my arrest. While I was in jail, Katara expected me to bend the metal in order to break free, in which we would then flee the area as quickly as possible. Everything went according to plan, except the cage I was currently sitting in was wooden. Great, how was I supposed to bend now?

"But this was your idea," I pointed out. As we sat here stewing, I finally figured out that this was actually a trap. When Katara told me that a mind bending fire bender, one that we had encountered a while back, captured her and threw her in here, I realized that he was using us as bait to lure Aang here. Suddenly, everything Katara warned me about these scams came true, as our idea of having fun truly went too far. Why did I have to be so stubborn and didn't heed her warnings earlier? Had we not gone ahead with this, maybe we'd all live to see another day. Now, with Aang walking straight into that weird guy's trap, who knew what would happen to him?

"I wanted to show you that I'm not so motherly," Katara explained, her tone going quite glum. She was all worked up earlier, in her stressed out tone after I first told her of my discovery that this was a trap. "I wanted to show you that I can have fun too."

I felt so bad after hearing that line, as all my cruel words somehow got thrown right back in my own face. Earlier, I called Katara overly motherly, bossy, killjoy, you named it. I wasn't too happy that she went through my stuff just to find the wanted poster, but now that I was stuck here, I almost felt guilty for not listening to her. Sokka's words helped too, as at least they showed me that even the Blind Bandit needed love and support every now in then. While years in the fighting arena made me tougher physically, they did nothing for me emotionally. I was still the subdued little girl guarded over by her overbearing parents at home, to the point where I had no friends or outside contact. I thought I was free by joining Aang's group, and that Katara was just trying to mimic my mother by telling me to help set up camp or do chores or whatever. Boy, was I mad when she told me we couldn't do any more scams. She's a regular kid like the rest of us, and that meant we shouldn't have to listen to her, right?

According to Sokka, that was a big mistake. Katara apparently was a pillar of strength in the Southern Water Tribe, wearing her caretaker role like a badge of honour. She was rock solid, and served the provider role for those still living there while all the adults went off to war. So when I called her out, not only had I insulted her personality, but I also downplayed all her achievements in that tribe. Compared to the way I performed, even in Earth Rumble, my achievements were nothing compared to her. Seriously, why did I have to take it that far? I did try to get along with her before in Ba Sing Se, so why couldn't I do it here?

"Katara, you are fun. If nothing else, at least you're fun to argue with," I described, thinking back to that girl's day out in Ba Sing Se. As we exited the massage parlour, I recalled being belittled by several girls, and it was Katara who first told me she was proud of how well I handled myself, and how self-confident I really was. Perhaps today was a good time to return the favour, and I had to tell Katara why I was proud of her. "I try not to think about it, but when I left my parents, I probably really hurt them." Katara truly became my guardian since I joined their group, and one that I preferred over my real parents any day.

But still, Katara's actions only made me feel that perhaps I was also at fault, as I tuned myself out to anyone I felt sounded like them. If only I wasn't that quick to judge, and learned to bite my tongue more often, maybe none of this had to happen. Even when Katara could have been harsher to me, she opted not to, trying to keep our group together despite all the hardships. I would never forget what happened in the desert, when sand benders stole Appa and we had to get through on foot. While everyone had downtrodden spirits and feeling tortured due to hunger and thirst, Katara was the only one who still had her sanity intact, and urged us through even though we thought about giving up. How could anyone claim Katara didn't have what it took to survive? As the dark thoughts brooded over me, I felt increasingly ashamed of myself.

I felt a set of arms wrap around me just as my tears spilled over, the droplets streaking down my cheeks. For some reason, ever since I started letting my internal feelings out, I felt myself getting more emotional, but also more comfortable. I guessed for the longest time, I had to use the Blind Bandit as a way to toughen myself up, and pushed the real me aside. Now, as I realized by being around this group, it was okay to let my feelings show. Emotional display wasn't an act of weakness; rather, it was a sense of confidence, showing the world who I was and how I truly felt. I mean, Katara usually wore her emotions on her sleeves, but by no means was she a weak person. Perhaps it was time for the Blind Bandit to be more like her.

But we were jolted out of the hug when several rumbles echoed from above, indicating that the Combustion Man caught Sokka and Aang. I raced to the front of the cage, trying to tear the wood apart with brute force. Well, I guessed I found out that even though wood and rock were different, wood could be just as stubborn as rocks. The material didn't move an inch, meaning we could not get to the battle outside. "We need bendables!" I shouted, my heart racing in fear. With no water nearby and my space rock bracelet left at camp, we were out of options.

Suddenly, a series of thumps jarred me. I felt my way around the wood, and realized Katara was running on the spot. "Um, Katara, are you okay?" I asked, not quite sure what she had in mind, "What are you doing?" We were trapped in a wooden cell, with an angry psycho outside hurting our friends. Going for a jog wasn't exactly what I had in mind to save them.

"I'm making my own water," Katara simply stated. I pressed my hand to the ground and felt Katara getting into a bending stance. That was when it hit me, as Katara was using her own perspiration as water to cut down this cage with her bending and letting us out.

I stood up, standing behind Katara as I felt her arms and body swing back and forth. Never in my entire life had I thought of something like that. "Katara, you're a genius! A sweaty, stinky genius!" I exclaimed as her sweat swished against the wood. If there was another thing I ought to learn from Katara, it was her observational skills and ability to think and adapt on the fly. Inside her head was one of the most powerful and resourceful weapons we had on our team: her brain. With her around, anything could be a useful weapon. As I anxiously waited for the final move, Katara took a couple more slices, before completely hacking the door down.

By the time we faced the Combustion Man, Katara and I fought as a team, with her sending water (and freezing it into ice every now and then) while I sent boulders. Never in our minds did we quarrel over who had better techniques or skills as we had a common goal in mind: getting Aang and Sokka out of here as quickly as possible. Earlier, when Katara and I trained Aang together, we soon turned our elements on each other, trying to best the other in a match between water and earth. Now, I realized that elements could work together, and served the greater purpose even better. And for that, I had Katara to thank, again.

We finally managed to get out of that town alive, and back into camp where we had the security blanket known as Appa, who could fly us out of here in a hurry if need be. Aang and Sokka were already packing their bags, ready to make a quick escape in the morning. While I did some packing of my own, I actually have another priority in mind. Pulling out a sheet of paper, I approached Katara. "I want to send a letter to my parents," I requested, telling her we would use the hawk Sokka bought with some of the money we scammed as the messenger. It was thanks to Katara that I could let go of my bitterness towards my parents, so it was only right that I offered to reconcile with them once my journey with Aang was over.

Katara was willing to oblige, letting me dictate the letter to her. As I poured out my thoughts for her, I realized that by taking time to listen to Katara, I truly allowed myself to be free. What I thought was freedom was nothing but a fake, as I was merely still living inside that shell I created from my Blind Bandit days. Now, I was truly ready to experience the world, and contributed to Aang in every possible way. Katara, I became a better person because of you, and I hoped you keep inspiring people to improve themselves, no matter what the situation was.

________________________________________

**Katara's POV**

The hooting of the wild cat owl echoed through the night as I stood in the middle of this forest, feeling surprisingly cold in what was supposed to be a warm summer night. It didn't help that my Fire Nation attire involved exposing my whole midriff, so I felt the chills up and down my abdomen right now. Added to the suspense was the shadowed figure standing before me, with all the lights of the full moon shining on us. It really gave me shivers, not just as a result of the temperature. Seriously, why did I agree to come out here in the first place?

"What I'm about to show you, I discovered in that wretched Fire Nation prison," the figure explained. Said individual was Hama, an innkeeper who was from the Southern Water Tribe, but was supposedly captured in the multiple Fire Nation raids on my home tribe, even before Sokka and I were born. Despite being jailed here for years, Hama somehow escaped and became a master water bender. I immediately felt a kinship to her when she told me about her history, feeling that for the first time ever, I had someone I could bond with over my bending.

But right now, I didn't feel as comfortable. Somehow, when she demonstrated her style of bending to me, it seemed kind of sinister. She basically sucked water out of living things like grass and flowers, leaving what used to be a colourful field withered and dry. Now, in the middle of this forest, with supposed kidnappings of people by some spirit, it was only scaring me more. While Hama thought it was safe with two master water benders drawing their full potential from a full moon, the potential danger around still shocked me to the point of near-paralysis.

My fear soon shifted from whatever spirit that was supposed to be out there to Hama, who described her experience in Fire Nation prisons. She told me how the guards bound each water bender's hands when meals were delivered, as to not allow them to use the water against the prison staff. "Each month, I felt the full moon enriching me with its energy. There had to be something I could do to escape," Hama continued, her tone getting more bitter and cynical. She revealed how she found any life form contained some water, and tested her new technique on rats that scurried around the prison. "I call it blood bending. Controlling the fluids in another body, enforcing your own will over theirs..."

Suddenly, I figured it out! It wasn't a spirit or monster that kidnapped the villagers, it was Hama! Every full moon, she went into the village and pulled people out, imprisoning them on this mountain. No wonder Toph felt people underneath the hills a few days back, claiming they were suffering and crying for help. All those puppets we found in a closet in her inn, they weren't just her collection. Rather, they were representations of all the people she kidnapped! "They threw me in prison to rot, along with my brothers and sisters. They deserve the same," Hama spat, confirming my fears, "You must carry on my work!"

Mustering all my strength, I stood tall and refused her offer. Not only was blood bending a scary thought, exerting one's will over another was totally unethical. I would not resort to harming innocent civilians, Fire Nation or otherwise, just to win this war. The reason why we wanted to end this war was to let everyone be free, having a free will to do whatever they pleased as long as they didn't harm anyone. To use blood bending, in any given circumstance, would be undeniably immoral. "I won't use blood bending and I won't let you terrorize this town!"

But it wasn't me doing the talking, as I felt my body twist up in ways I could never twist before. My muscles clenched and unclenched, tensed up and relaxed, all against my will. I was sent hurtling one way after another, barely able to see what was going on, but I knew Hama was behind this. I didn't know how to explain this, but I truly realized how powerful blood bending was. To be nothing but a puppet being thrown around like a hurricane just whipped through was very frightening, and the worst part was that I was at the mercy of someone who had none. With the full moon around, I wasn't sure how I could stop her from controlling me.

Wait, the full moon gave me an idea! While Hama was a blood bender, it didn't mean her skill exceeded mine. With water all around me, it was possible for me to pull out of this situation and brought her to justice. Just as Hama brought me to my knees, it pressed my hands against the grass, which was filled with moisture. Whipping up a large amount of water, I hurled it at Hama, breaking her concentration and allowing me to regain my motion. "Your technique is useless on me," I taunted her, exchanging a volley of water bombs in the process.

But to my horror, Hama turned to a set of weapons that I never expected. Turning to Sokka and Aang, who just arrived and tried to convince Hama to surrender, the old woman used her technique on them, twisting their bodies the way she twisted mine earlier. Now my brother and my friend shot towards me while under the influence of Hama. Great, how was I supposed to get out of this mess without harming them? Aang, Sokka, forgive me if I injure you too much.

I managed to dodge their bodies just in time, landing after a flip and using my momentum to send more water at Hama. But all the water in the world couldn't do me any good as Sokka now drew his sword and chopped at me. "Stop it, arms! Stop it!" Sokka screamed as he bounced around the woods while brandishing his sword like a maniac. Had it not been the seriousness of the situation, I might have found Sokka quite comical, almost like he was entertaining us with another one of his weird skits. If only reality and my thoughts coincided that well.

And just as Sokka breezed past me, Aang had to come up, flailing his arms like he had been stung by insects. Taking a huge amount of water from within a tree, I hurled it at Aang, freezing him against the trunk. "I'm sorry, Aang," I stuttered. Well, I did discover him inside an iceberg, right? So maybe freezing him in place wasn't something he was new to. I then turned my sights to Sokka, using the same water and freezing his sword arm in place. With both guys glued to trees, now it was time to return my focus on this horrible witch.

But Hama produced the nastiest trick possible, unlocking the ice locks from Aang and Sokka and rebalancing them. "Don't let your friends hurt you," she sneered, "And don't let them hurt each other!" With that, she sent them straight for each other. My heart nearly skipped a beat as Sokka's sword aimed right at Aang's chest, ready to run him through. No more of this, I decided. There was no way I would let Hama harm them ever again.

Pointing at Aang and Sokka, I squeezed my hands, feeling the fluids inside their bodies as I straightened them out. I felt sick to my stomach as I felt my water bending reaching their insides, but I realized it must be done in order to stop Hama. Once my two friends were safe, I aimed at Hama, using blood bending to subdue her completely. It was just then that Toph rushed up with the villagers, the same people I assumed were captured by this witch earlier. I wished every set of eyes aimed somewhere other than at me, as I didn't deserve the attention of learning such a sinister art. Blood bending should never be used, whether I truly learned and accepted it or not. Please, just leave me alone, I thought to myself.

As the authorities slapped handcuffs onto Hama, it was like she wanted to taunt me one last time as she turned around to stare at me. I would never forget the look in her eyes and that horrible grin as she congratulated me on becoming a blood bender. Cracks snaked through the wall that was my face as I broke down, too overwhelmed by the terrible deed I committed. Even as Aang and Sokka comforted me, telling me I did the right thing by using blood bending to free them and insisted I shouldn't worry about what Hama thought, I knew the tainted legacy had been passed on. I could only hope I would never use this technique, even inadvertently. Should anyone, Fire Nation or otherwise, be hurt by blood bending, I doubted I could forgive myself.

________________________________________

**Katara's POV**

Our group broke back for the submarines as we prepared for the final leg of our journey to the Fire Nation shores. Aang was having a serious case of nightmares and insomnia days before our invasion, to the point where he was hallucinating and having emotional breakdowns. It took us all a lot of effort, but finally things settled down when we, as a group, encouraged him and showed our full confidence in him. Now, with our spirits refreshed and our battle team ready, the Fire Nation would be in for a real surprise during the eclipse.

And what a team it was, as various people we met throughout our journey came back to help us. From Haru, the earth bender who inspired others to take back his town, to Teo and his inventor father, who helped Sokka design our equipment, to former members of the Earth Rumble tournament where we first met Toph, it felt like everyone wanted to be a part of history today. But in the end, nobody forgot the main person: Aang, the Avatar who regained his skill and would regain his honour. Given all the challenges he went through, I was so proud of him.

"I've seen you grow up so much. You're not that goofy little kid I found in the iceberg anymore," I found this the perfect moment to tell Aang about how I truly felt about him. There was no one around, and it might very well be the last time I spoke to him before the defining moment in his life. "I guess what I'm trying to say is I'm really proud of you."

Just then, Aang asked a very strange question. "What if I don't come back?" I noticed the sudden change in his expression and tone. Seconds earlier, he was blushing, almost too shy to admit his growth. I guessed I embarrassed him by reminding him his so-called immature days when he wanted to sled on penguins and ride on sea serpents. Now, he was all gloomy, and almost sad. Was he still having doubts about his chances of winning?

But before I got a chance to reassure him, Aang did something I never expected. He grabbed me by the arm and leaned forward, getting right into my face and pressing his lips onto mine. I absolutely couldn't react as Aang held tight, not moving from me at all. I was usually pretty good at knowing what people thought about, but never in my life did I envision this. We were in the middle of a war, the greatest battle ever between the Fire Nation and our allies, and Aang chose this time to show his true feelings? I really didn't know how to react.

But at the same time, it was almost like I wanted him to kiss me and show me how much he cared for me. By the time he released me and flew off, I could only stand there, rubbing my face and wondering what happened. Surely I felt something back for Aang, right? After all that we went through, I had to be lying if I felt Aang didn't become a part of my life.

Still, the confusion lingered in my head as we continued our journey. I was all by myself on Appa, who submerged with the subs as I created an air bubble around the water surrounding our heads. It gave me a perfect opportunity to think about how Aang and I truly related to one another. Aang was the Avatar, but he was also human. Even though he was the guardian of the world, he also had feelings like normal people do. Love, especially in a romantic nature, wasn't out of the question. But given that Aang and I had little to no experience in romance, his kiss really stunned me. Maybe he was afraid that he would never make it back, and wanted to show me what he felt at the last moment. But whatever the case, I really didn't want to think about that right now. I had no intention of hurting Aang, but I didn't know if I was ready for something like that at the moment. Maybe, when all this was over, we could revisit the issue once more.

My thoughts on Aang were completely shattered by explosions as we landed on the shore, the Fire Nation sending their entire arsenal at us. There were almost too many troops and tanks and other dangerous goods around, to the point where I wasn't even sure where to aim my water. I had no idea where everyone else was at the moment, so I could only try to hold my own while keeping an eye out for others. Scanning around, I slowly opened my sashes.

Yet I was suddenly stopped by Sokka and Dad, who charged up to me and pointed at the battle towers located on either side of the cliffs. Claiming we had to get rid of them somehow, they wanted to launch an aerial assault on Appa. Taking control of the reins, we took to the hills, slashing and cutting down each one with ease. By the time there were only two left, I had Appa land on the ground right between them. "You two take out that battlement," Dad instructed us, pointing to the one on the right while he headed left, "I got this one. Watch each other's backs."

Sokka and I managed to invade the battlement with ease, his black space sword cutting down the front defenders while my reach with water bending eliminated any threats in the back. But by the time we finished taking out their weapons, we saw a grim sight. A huge explosion rocked the battlement Dad entered, with him still inside. My stomach sank like a stone as Dad staggered out, holding his right side before collapsing onto the ground. Lifting him onto Appa, we got him onto safer ground, finding an isolated corner where I could analyze his wounds. Although I could only speculate, I doubted that he could continue this battle.

As I tended to Dad's side wound, Sokka offered to lead the invasion. I nearly dropped all my healing water on Dad, staring incredulously at Sokka. Was he crazy? He had no experience in handling troops, and now he expected to win a battle, let alone the most important one the world had ever seen? I was about to oppose him, but his words made me change my mind. "The eclipse is about to start and we need to be up that volcano by the time it does," he insisted.

Somehow, this serious Sokka showed me a similar picture as Aang. Not only had he grown and matured, he was ready to take on his responsibilities. Maybe, just like Aang, Sokka prided in living life with a bit of craziness, but if this was what led us to success, then I was all for it. Letting him board Appa, I watched Sokka fly off, only wishing he would return safely, like Aang. Meanwhile, I had to look after my injured father, who was in so much pain that he could barely move. "Well, time for me to get to work," I muttered, taking another layer of water and pressing it onto his wounds. Seriously, did Dad take after Sokka's clumsy side in that tower?

By the time Dad was good enough to walk, the battle group already advanced past the final gates. There was nothing but volcano ahead of us, where the Fire Nation palace was located. Just as we regrouped with Sokka, who reported that everything was going smoothly, something unexpected happened. "Is that Aang?" I asked, pointing at a glider in the sky.

To our surprise, my friend returned from the volcano, claiming that there was no one in the capital city. "The entire palace city was abandoned," he reported. That was when our worst fears were confirmed. The Fire Nation found out about our invasion and evacuated everyone. Upon hearing that, I felt more nauseated than ever, my stomach churning uncontrollably.

But whatever the case, the mission must go on, even though the Fire Lord wasn't in his palace. Figuring that the Fire Lord would still be nearby, probably hiding in an underground bunker just so he could monitor and direct his troops, Aang took Sokka and Toph with him on Appa to seek out that hiding spot. Meanwhile, Bato took control of the invasion team and ran up the hill, hoping to at least secure the capital city before the eclipse ended.

Hoisting Dad back up again, we slowly trudged up the mountain, still wondering what went wrong. Personally, I had some idea how the Fire Nation found out about our plans, and it had to do with the time I was kidnapped in Ba Sing Se. The Kyoshi Warriors, or at least who we thought were Suki and friends, were actually impersonators, none other than Princess Azula and her lackeys. When we talked with the Earth King about our invasion plans on the eclipse, they must have heard it all and relayed it back to the capital. I was really mad at myself for not seeing through their disguises, and now all our friends were about to pay the price.

The eclipse soon took place, whereby we placed sunglasses over our eyes. We had the upper hand as we entered the capital, with our invasion team defeating the relatively small defence force in the city. The place was a ghost town, with its inhabitants seemingly vanished into thin air. Even with the area secured, our team was still confused about what should happen next. "Shouldn't something have happened by now?" Bato asked us. I took a glance at the sky, and saw that the sun had already been totally covered. If Aang couldn't find the Fire Lord by now, then we pretty much lost all our chances.

Then, judgment time came, as the moon slowly moved away from the sun, letting the sunlight beam its way onto us. This was probably one of the only times when I didn't wish the sun came out, as it meant the Fire Nation could launch its counteroffensive while we were all loitering around the capital city. As I lifted up my shades, I saw a sight that truly sent shivers up my spine. In the foreground, that familiar armoured bison flew in with its occupants. A series of gigantic airships, filled with fire benders and other explosives, took off behind Appa, hovering ominously above us. If that didn't make you feel powerless, then I didn't know what would.

Sokka confirmed the worst by telling us that Azula knew about our plans and was ready for us. Hoping to make a quick escape, we urged everyone to get back to the beaches as quickly as possible. Knowing the airships would come for us, Aang and I tried to slow them down in any way possible. With Aang on his glider and me on Appa, we attacked the gargantuan metallic crafts. Seeing how they were built, I doubted even Sokka's space sword could cut through them.

A deluge of fire greeted us as we snaked through their formation. While we took out a couple of war balloons, the air force's power was overwhelming. There was a wall of fire before them, making it impossible for us to penetrate. "Let's join the others," Aang called, suggesting that we made a retreat. It felt like our supposed day of victory was turning into a day of defeat.

The Fire Nation air force greeted our return to the ground with a series of bombs, with everyone in our invasion team getting hit. Even the flexible tanks took quite a beating as the explosives rocked the entire hillside. Luckily, we landed near Toph, who created a rock shield large enough to cover us all (Appa included). But judging from how the rocks were shattering above us, causing Toph to strain just to bend extra pillars for support, I could tell the Fire Nation had quite an arsenal. They weren't bombing randomly, but bombing to kill.

Then, as suddenly as the bombing started, it stopped, with the airships gliding past us. As we came out from the rocks, we stared right ahead, seeing exactly what their next target was: our submarines. The Fire Nation was intent on destroying our last resource, making it impossible to escape. Somehow, the Fire Nation pulled a perfect reversal on us, even destroying our only means to escape. Sokka suggested that we stood our ground and fought them off, but even I knew it would be a crazy idea. Even with Aang on our side, it would be impossible to beat down all the fire benders. With the eclipse over, they would show us no mercy.

Just then, Dad made the biggest sacrifice of them all, by opting to stay behind with the other adults as prisoners while the younger fighters left on Appa. As if on cue, I felt my original frustration with Aang and Dad return once more. "We can't leave you behind. We won't leave anyone behind!" I ranted. Sokka and I just got reunited with Dad after years of separation. Now we had to lose him again? I didn't know if I was ready to accept history repeating itself here.

But seeing the bombs blow our subs to smithereens, I realized there was no choice. With a heavy heart, I gathered all the other younger fighters and let them board Appa. Teo, Haru, and The Duke were among them, all saying farewells to their family and friends. Sokka and I were with Dad, exchanging final words before we left. "We lost today, but we've never been this close," Dad explained, "We tasted victory, and that counts for something."

Sokka and I both hugged our father, knowing full well the torturous conditions he would be subject to when the Fire Nation got its hands on him. As we boarded Appa, I had one other person in mind, moving myself to the front of the saddle where Aang currently sat. You didn't need any clues to tell that he was sad, guilty, downtrodden, and broken beyond belief. He told me he didn't want to fail the world again, and that he wanted no more people to suffer in the hands of the Fire Nation. But now, with another failure before him, he couldn't help but feel that the blood of all these people would be on his hands again. Even when our group tried to console him, telling him there would be another chance, I knew he wouldn't forget this easily.

With tears still streaking down his face, Aang got up to address the crowd. "Thank you all for being so brave and so strong. I'm going to make this up to you," he announced. Now, with yet another defeat, and the Fire Nation potentially getting stronger by holding back our biggest attack thus far, the mission was only about to get harder along the way.

As the faces of our friends and allies grew smaller and more distant, I could see my role in the group cemented even further. Not only must we support Aang physically and emotionally, now it was likely that we had to literally protect him from danger. With the Fire Nation most likely on the hunt for us soon, we would not escape their clutches too easily. And although we tried to circumvent it just to save time, Aang still had to learn fire bending, an element that he wasn't too keen on approaching, given his history with fire. Whatever the case, I had to take on this role again, hopefully getting Aang back into the spirit of saving the world once more.

________________________________________

**Katara's POV**

Pure adrenaline kept me awake and piloting Appa as Zuko and I flew towards Whaletail Island, where the Southern Raiders were on patrol. Even though I knew my body was fatigued, I kept urging myself onward, almost like an invisible force was keeping me upright even as night changed into day. But then again, with what I was about to get myself into, I had plenty of strength, probably more than I could ever use in my entire life.

"You should get some rest. We'll be there in a few hours," Zuko called from the back of the saddle. We ran into him in the Western Air Temple, where our group hid after the botched invasion. I still hadn't forgotten the countless horrible things he did to us, and had serious reservations about him joining us. But after taking out the Combustion Man, who also pursued us to the temple, Aang chose to accept him into our group. I personally felt Aang was making the dumbest choice ever by leaving himself defenceless to our greatest foe, but when everyone else agreed with Aang, I had no choice but to accept, welcoming this despicable traitor into our team.

Even then, I made sure he knew I would not let him off the hook. Even if he so much looked at anyone the wrong way, I warned him he would get the punishment of a lifetime. He might be enjoying fire bending lessons with Aang, or helping Sokka break Dad and Suki out of prison, but I wasn't ready to trust him. The fact that he betrayed us (and nearly took Aang's life) in Ba Sing Se, along with his knowledge of the Southern Raiders, the group that killed my mother, made me keep him at arm's length. In fact, Zuko's presence here only made me think back to the day when Mom was killed, an event that I thought I had long gotten over from. I had no idea why it bubbled up again, but somehow it did, and knowing the one responsible for her death was still out there, it made me feel angrier than ever.

We soon switched spots, letting Zuko take the reins while I rested in the back. Somehow, every time I closed my eyes, I had visions of the day Mom died. The black soot falling from the sky, the strange Fire Nation invader in my house, and finally the burnt smell of Mom's decaying body after that invader killed her off. It was a thought that I never imagined resurfacing again, as it was so uncommon that even Sokka realized something was wrong. Before Zuko offered to take me on this journey, Aang and Sokka did everything they could to dissuade me, even going so far as to compare me to Jet. I wasn't like that, was I? Jet killed innocent people, while I was going after a known murderer. They should have never compared me to that good-for-nothing, who kept trying to start a new Freedom Fighters group even though we caught him red-handed.

Suddenly, a telescope landed into my lap, cutting my concentration short as Zuko pointed out the Sea Raven flags before us. My frustration built up as that flag waved tauntingly in the wind at me. I felt an urge to just destroy that patrol ship on the spot as Appa submerged beneath the water, giving me the full arsenal of my element. Creating a whip, I sent it at a crew member, grabbing him from the deck and tossing him into the cold water. This was followed by a huge tsunami that rocked the boat, sending more people into the sea. But as I did this, part of my mind urged my body (albeit helplessly) to stop, telling me this senseless fighting wasn't right. It was almost like my brain and my hands were disconnected, and created a very confusing situation. Why was finding closure to my mother's death so hard?

The crazy situation continued with Zuko and me blasting through the ship, going straight to the control room, where the ship captain was probably located. Zuko told me that the captain was most likely the killer, and now I had to come face to face with him. My mind was still flustered between what I ought to do when I see him, but I had no time for that now. I was placed into this position by the Fire Nation, who left me no choice but to seek retribution. Taking a deep breath, I sent the water forward, blasting the metal door off its hinges.

We were immediately greeted by a set of fire balls, all of which Zuko blocked with ease. "You don't remember her?" Zuko demanded, tilting his head at me while shooting at the captain, "You will soon, trust me." It was nerve-racking to say the least, but the fact that the captain still fought on only drove my anger higher. If he was trying to convince me he knew nothing of my mother's death, then he better not expect he could leave this ship with his body intact.

As if my body broke entirely free from my brain, I felt myself reaching for the fluids inside the captain's body, blood bending him into improbable shapes as he lay helpless on the ground, writhing in pain. Even with my fear of blood bending when Hama first used it on me, with my every moral and principle telling me not to commit such a sinister act, I couldn't help myself doing this. As the captain was immobilized, I pulled the fluids in his body higher, making it so that his head faced mine. "You look her in the eye and you tell me you don't remember what you did," Zuko yelled from beside the captain, hovering around him to ensure he couldn't escape. Might as well get one last look at this despicable human being before I finished him off.

But to my horror, I realized we grabbed the wrong person. I felt reason seep back into my head as I released the captain, marching sadly out of the control room. Even as Zuko continued ranting, I thought about just how out of control I was. To get justice was one thing, but to resort to an act so immoral that I was ashamed to get my hands on, I could only wonder what happened during my attack on this soldier. Was I letting my emotions and frustrations run roughshod over my sanity, or had I clearly intended to do this as an act of justice for my late mother?

But my anger soon returned when Zuko coerced a name out of the captain, who told us the one responsible for that raid was named Yon Rha. He retired four years ago, and was now living with his mother at a nearby Fire Nation village. Without another word, we headed back to Appa, taking us to that village. I was not intent on making another mistake that would waste any more time on these miserable individuals. I came with a mission, and I intended to finish it.

We soon found the village on a nearby island, which seemed to be smaller and more peaceful than most Fire Nation towns I traveled through. A steady downpour soon appeared as we keyed in on one house, where a man with messy grey hair stepped out after being chewed out by his mother. Even though we hid from his side, merely following him from a distance and watched him trudge into town, I was certain that it was the monster. Even though he was older, slower, and probably weaker, I could remember his figure, but especially that particular look in his eyes that seemed so menacing even years after the event. As he finished buying his groceries and went on his way back home on that lonely country road, it was time to attack.

The fool whipped around, lighting a bush on fire, thinking we were behind it. But really, we had a trap for him as he soon marched right into a rope. Sprawling into the mud and spilling his groceries, Zuko disabled him with a couple of fire punches, threatening him to not use any fire bending as I came forth. The sad, pathetic creature pleaded for his life, asking us to take his money or food, but left him alone. How wrong he was to ask for that, because what I was after was his life. "Do you know who I am?" I spat, glaring at the murderer, "You better remember me like your life depends on it! Why don't you take a closer look?"

The quivering of his lips and wavering of his eyes didn't deter me as he recalled the details. Yon Rha told us that he was after the last water bender in the Southern Water Tribe, and tried forcing information out of my mother, who was the chief's wife. After getting a promise from Yon Rha that the Southern Raiders would leave the tribe after she revealed the identity of the last water bender, she pointed herself out as that individual. While she thought the most they would do was take her prisoner, the reality was that Yon Rha was out to kill. "She lied to you. She was protecting the last water bender," I retorted, feeling every muscle tense up. Just as a bolt of lightning cracked in the distance, I revealed the truth to him, "The last water bender, was me!"

It was as if everything came spontaneously as I whipped up a huge water dome, encasing all three of us inside. The rain outside merely added to my arsenal as I focused in on the man who took my mother away, the man responsible for all my pain, and the man that must be punished. I was doing this for not just myself, but also for Sokka and Dad, who suffered the same pain I did, and for everyone else who had a loved one die at the hands of the Fire Nation military. With one swift move, I froze the water into sharp ice daggers and hurled it at Yon Rha.

But somehow, right before it hit the target, I froze up, causing the sharp pieces to hover in mid-air, mere inches away from Yon Rha's shaking body. I didn't know what came over me, but somehow I couldn't follow through. Maybe it was my sanity returning, or maybe it was the thought of me blood bending earlier to achieve my goal that terrified me, but whatever the case, I just couldn't bring myself to do it. As the ice returned to water and splashed at Yon Rha, I could only turn away, hoping to erase my memory of this man forever.

Yon Rha immediately begged for his life, claiming his act was senseless and horrible, and insisted that I went a life for a life and took his mother's life in exchange. Hearing his blubbering only made me angrier, but for some reason I didn't fight anymore. Perhaps inside my head, I had already gotten over the initial shock that was when I first approached him. Now I only saw a useless old man lucky enough to gracefully retire from the navy and living a relatively peaceful life. "There's just nothing inside you," I pointed out, my thirst for blood completely dissipated, "You're pathetic, sad, and empty. But as much as I hate you, I just can't do it." Seeing him in this state, killing him would probably benefit him rather than make him suffer.

Not a word was said as Zuko and I returned to Appa, ignoring Yon Rha and his sobbing in the middle of that road. Zuko decided to take me to a place where I could have some peace and quiet, at Ember Island where his family used to own some property. Zuko also suggested that he brought our other team members here, as a way to hide from the Fire Nation should Azula or any other military member come after us. As I sat at the pier, dangling my leg over the wood and gently kicked at the water below, I thought about my actions, or lack thereof. There was no doubt in my mind that I truly hated Yon Rha, and I was fairly certain that Sokka and Dad would too, if they heard about this story. I doubted any of us could forgive him for what he did, but yet even when I wanted to take out all my anger on him, I just couldn't do it. It was hard to explain, as I felt so weak when I backed out, but also very strong in the sense that I didn't have to resort to it.

At the same time, I suddenly found it much easier to accept Zuko, even though I had been against his presence in our group from the first day. Zuko never tried convincing me to stop my actions, but he also didn't encourage them either. Maybe he wanted me to find my own way to deal with it, and indirectly showing me what I had to do to grow up. Yet this hands-off method of forcing me to mature actually paid off, as I could finally put this event behind me. Now, even if someone mentioned Yon Rha to me, I couldn't find it in my heart to stay angry. Zuko allowed me to come to terms with my past, and ultimately made me more accepting of him.

By the time Zuko brought everyone to Ember Island, I was truly refreshed physically and mentally. "I could never forgive Yon Rha," I stated to Aang and Zuko as they approached me, "But I am ready to forgive you." With that, I gave Zuko a hug, thanking him for this experience. Perhaps, with my mind now strong enough to handle even the darkest of my demons, I was truly ready to take the last steps in helping Aang end the war.

________________________________________

**Zuko's POV**

"Zuko, don't worry. We can take Azula," the calm voice of Katara tried to comfort me as we flew across the now orange landscape. Sozin's comet was finally making its closest pass to our world, and I could feel my fire bending enhance because of it. Our judgment day couldn't get any weirder, as Aang somehow disappeared the day before he was supposed to fight my father. Luckily, we managed to find my uncle Iroh, who I hadn't located since he escaped from prison, outside Ba Sing Se. My moment of truth came when I reconciled with him, and now I had to face another moment of truth when Uncle sent Katara and me to the Fire Nation capital to take on Azula while my father used an airship fleet to raze the Earth Kingdom all the way to Ba Sing Se.

"I'm not worried about her. I'm worried about Aang," I responded, hanging tightly onto Appa's reins. I was truly happy that Katara was able to release her past, no longer holding a grudge against the Fire Nation. But Katara's personal history wasn't the biggest concern right now. With Aang still missing and the comet bearing down on us, time was running out. "What if he doesn't have the guts to take out my father? What if he loses?" Even before his disappearance, Aang had doubts about killing my father, claiming that the monks taught him all life was sacred. While I applauded his notion of sticking by his tradition and giving everyone an equal chance to life, I had to remind him that going by the book wasn't going to cut it in a war. Besides, with the terrible acts that my father committed, why should we give him another chance?

But Katara remained firm in her faith in Aang. "Aang won't lose," she insisted, "He's going to come back. He has to." Even though I didn't know Katara too well, I knew she was close with Aang, to the point where she was willing to risk her life to protect him. I still recalled how she threatened me when I first joined the group, saying she would end me should I harm anyone, especially Aang. I admired how Katara encouraged and looked out for Aang, and Aang reciprocated such feelings as he grew. If he told me he would abandon fire bending all because he didn't want to hurt Katara again, wasn't that a big enough statement about their bond?

And as we continued flying, I thought about the countless times I fought Katara in the past. Each time, I didn't show her any respect, seeing her as a weak peasant from the slummy Southern Water Tribe. But as time went on, I saw how creative and resourceful she was, taking advantage of just about everything around her. Uncle was right when he said water benders were great at adapting to their environment. Katara not only survived the onslaughts from both the Fire Nation and the Dai Li at the Earth Kingdom, but advanced herself to the level of a water bending master. With her abilities, maybe I ought to listen to Uncle and learned some skills from her. If I ascended the throne, then it was only imperative that I opened my mind, yes?

Soon enough, the capital city came into view, returning my focus on the battle. I knew it would be dangerous to take on Azula alone, and that was why I requested Katara came along. I had the privilege of going to the Sun Warriors, a group long thought to be extinct, with Aang to learn the essence of fire bending from the original source, the dragons. I also believed my uncle Iroh killed the last two dragons to gain his title "Dragon of the West" but in reality, he spared the two and kept them a secret, making it so that the Sun Warriors could still live in secrecy. Now, with my drive for fire returning (and my skills stronger than ever) and Katara's mastery of water, I doubted Azula could even stand a chance against us. Aang paired up pretty well when fighting alongside Katara against Azula and me in Ba Sing Se, so now it was my turn to pair with Katara.

And not a moment too soon, as Azula was about to have the Fire Lord headpiece placed onto her head. I nearly hissed at her appearance, realizing people like her made fire benders so hated across the world. Katara was justified being suspicious about me, how I used to associate with her. But while Katara changed her view of fire benders, Azula did nothing but belittle the world and thumbed her nose at those around her. Now she wanted to be Fire Lord? Not a chance!

Hoping down from Appa, I interrupted the Fire Sages. "You're not going to become Fire Lord today," I spat, marching straight up to Azula, "I am." I was joined by Katara, who promised us all that Azula would be going down today. Well, at least someone matched me for both skill and spirit. Maybe Azula should do the smart thing and surrendered, before we beat her to a pulp!

Or maybe not, as Azula waved off the Fire Sages and lifted the royal robe off her body. Somehow, I felt something unusual about her, almost like she lost the usual swagger. Maybe it was because of her unruly hair or her difficulty maintaining her usually calm but condescending attitude, but whatever the case, she was for sure not her usual self. So when she challenged me to an Agni Kai, I was more than willing to oblige.

Naturally, Katara's instincts kicked in and tried to stop me. I imagined plenty of cases where she did exactly that before I arrived at Aang's group. Both Toph and Sokka told me how Katara nagged them into stopping crazy acts, and how in hindsight they appreciated it. Thanks for reminding me how dangerous it was, Katara, but I wanted to do this alone. "I can't explain it, but she's slipping," I described my observations to Katara, "This way, no one else has to get hurt." How did the usually observant Katara miss out on Azula ready to crack any second?

As we prepared to spar, I could see Katara on the sidelines, watching on nervously. It was a difficult task for Katara to forgive me, but being strong enough to let things go, it was truly remarkable. I admitted that perhaps things weren't as smooth as possible between us, mainly due to my own blind pursuit of Aang. But if Katara could find it in her heart to forgive, then maybe all was not lost. Hopefully, if we got out of this one alive, I could ask Katara to advise me on how to seek forgiveness from Mai, who was probably still stuck at the Boiling Rock as of now.

Before long, my vision was filled with orange and blue flames as Azula and I blasted each other. Immense heat resonated across the courtyard, suffocating my breath as everything became consumed by fire. Being around someone like Katara meant I could pick up bits and pieces of her style, and that included being strong under pressure. Despite her emotions tending to fly through the roof, Katara was really good at bottling them if it meant taking one for the team. It was different from Azula, who bottled her emotions to fake strength. Remembering a little bit of each type of bending, I fought on with all the skills I knew throughout my life.

And soon enough, I could tell Azula was tiring. Her kicks were flails of pure frustration rather than superb skill. I merely countered her every attack with ease, even as she jet-blasted herself towards me. As she sent a wall of blue flame at me, I shot my version at her. I even added in a water bender trick Katara used before, parting another wall of fire from Azula like parting waves. You're not the only one who could perform a separation like that, Katara.

A twisting double fire bomb and a few rounds of fiery leg whips later, Azula was pretty much down for the count. "No lightning today? Afraid I'll redirect it?" I taunted my sister. At this rate, Katara didn't even need to take action, given how quickly I dispatched of Azula. Sorry my friend, but it seemed like you were destined to remain on the sidelines for this one.

But soon enough, I found that to be the biggest mistake of my life, as Katara was meant to enter the battlefield, as a victim. Watching Azula's eyes, she tiled straight at Katara and aimed her lightning at the water bender. "No!" I shouted, leaping into the air. Katara did too much, not just for me, but for everyone in the group, to meet such an untimely end. Besides, if Aang came back and found Katara shot dead while I stood watching, I doubted he would forgive me. With one finger pointed at the lightning, I absorbed as much of the shot as I could.

But my curled up position in the air only kept the electricity within me, not releasing it the other way, like my uncle taught me. Even as I lifted my other arm to shoot the lightning into the sky, an eerie paralysis came over me as I couldn't move a muscle. Soon, an overwhelming pain hit as my body dropped to the ground. I could only convulse helplessly, the electricity hissing uncontrollably as I landed chest-down. It seemed like Katara was really in for it now.

I couldn't see or hear too much, the pain numbing my body and mind to the point where I couldn't even flop over or crawl away. Even though I was disabled, the smell of electric burns blasted up my nostrils as Azula's distinctive cackling filled the air. "Zuzu, you don't look so good," she taunted from a distance. I couldn't tell where she was or what she was doing, but the only thing I hoped for was that Katara had gotten out of the way. Even with how resourceful Katara was, it might not be enough against my megalomaniac sister.

Then, the hectic blasts of fire and lightning came to a halt. I didn't know if it was because my body deteriorated to such a state that now I lost my hearing or if Azula defeated Katara, but there was only a strange silence. My worst fears resurfaced in my mind, wondering if Katara was burned to a crisp by now. She was so upset when she recalled how her own mother was killed by Yon Rha, but now it seemed like she suffered a similar fate. Katara, tell me you're still alive!

A huge sense of relief came over me as a set of hands flipped me onto my back, pressing some cold liquid onto the wound now streaking across my chest. Uncle Iroh told me that the lightning was supposed to travel through the centre of my body, meaning my heart. I really lucked out, given I was still alive even as the lightning wasn't redirected properly. As the water slowly pulled my wounds together, I lifted my head up and whispered, "Thank you, Katara."

But Katara would have none of that, as she replied, "I think I'm the one who should be thanking you." I heard absolutely no animosity in that tone, almost like she truly saw me as part of her group now. And believe it or not, I actually felt someone out there, other than my uncle, who showed that much care for me when I was hurt. I could tell why the group loved Katara so much, and I realized how lucky Aang was if he chose her as a soul mate.

But for now, there were other matters to attend to, such as dealing with my sister, who somehow got chained down by Katara. Katara's observational skills never ceased to amaze me as she used water from the palace sewage system and a set of chains from nearby pillars to keep Azula down. Whatever the case, we didn't need to be Katara to see Azula's current state. With fire belching from her mouth and dramatic sobs hissing through her breath, she truly lost all her sanity. Hopefully I could still make the rest of her days comfortable, however that might be defined in her mind. Until then, the road to reconciliation with the world began today.

________________________________________

**Katara's POV**

"Zuko, stop moving," I tilted my head from the chess match between Suki and Mai to the direction of Sokka's shrill voice. It was our first reunion after the war officially ended. Zuko and I met up with Aang afterwards, who told us that he used an old technique called energy bending to strip Ozai of his bending powers. With Ozai in prison and Azula institutionalized, Zuko was crowned Fire Lord and offered reconciliation with the world. His first act was to set up a meeting with the now-repatriated Earth King to discuss a potential bilateral relationship. With Iroh reopening his tea shop in Ba Sing Se, we thought it was the perfect place to have our gathering.

And Sokka had to show off his new-found taste for the arts, as learned from Master Piandao, who I heard helped Iroh liberate Ba Sing Se. I personally thought it was very thoughtful of Sokka to doing this painting to remember our good times together, that was until I saw what he did. "Why did you give me Momo's ears?" I demanded, cocking an eyebrow at the picture.

Before long, everyone took shots at the picture, with Zuko claiming his hair was too spiky. Mai, who reconciled with Zuko before the coronation, criticized Sokka for making her looking too much like a man. Suki resented Sokka making her look like she was fire bending from her fans, and Iroh declared he was not as overweight as Sokka portrayed. "I think you all look perfect," Toph called from behind, resulting in a chorus of laughs.

But to my surprise, one person never said a single thing. In fact, looking around now, I couldn't see Aang anywhere at all. The past few days allowed me to think about my relationship with Aang, with many people giving me hints that guided me closer to a conclusion. With Mai and Zuko now a loving couple, and Suki and Sokka beginning their romance, perhaps it was only right that I dealt with Aang. I was very shocked when Aang kissed me during the Day of Black Sun, to the point where I refused another kiss right before the battle. But seeing how much Aang truly loved and cared for me, I realized maybe I did feel the same way about him. Stepping away from the laughing crowd, I slipped out of the tea shop, turning past Appa and into a courtyard.

There was my friend, the Avatar himself, admiring the beautiful sunset. The world was at peace thanks to him, and no words could describe how proud I was of him. Not a word was spoken as I came up beside him, glancing at his serene smile and gentle eyes. I gently pulled him into a hug, in which he returned, as I witnessed his rise into the hero he was today. Despite the many times I cared for him, I never really realized he also did the same for me. Feelings bloomed between when I released him from the ice and now, and maybe we ought to show each other.

We let go of each other like I let go of my fears and insecurities. I still recalled Aang's first piece of advice to me regarding bending: let go of fear. I guessed the same could be said of love. I planted my lips onto his, and I could tell there was no hesitation on either party's part. We relished every second, knowing that if we continued to grow, we would be in for a long and happy life together. Aang still had duties to the world, but now I knew I would always be a part of his journeys. As we basked in the setting sun, there was only one thing that crossed my mind:

My name is Katara. That was my story. Those were my rites of passage.


	25. Zuko, Part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Each character grows up with a set of experiences unique to themselves. Watch each person describe what went through their minds and how they changed as they reacted to the world. These are their stories, these are their rites of passage.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: Michael DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko own Avata

**Zuko's POV**

"What a stunning view!" my uncle marvelled as we stood on a balcony of the Western Air Temple. After my cousin Lu Ten died at Ba Sing Se, Uncle Iroh was too heartbroken to continue his siege. He declared that the battle was over, and took his troops home. But for some strange reason, he didn't return with the group, disappearing for weeks on end while everyone wondered where he was. During that time, Fire Lord Azulon, my grandfather, died mysteriously, followed closely by the disappearance of my mother, leaving my father Ozai to ascend to the throne, becoming the new Fire Lord.

As Uncle continued singing praises of the Air Nomads' architecture, I had no time to discuss that issue. "The only view I'm interested in seeing is the Avatar in chains," I spat, the left side of my face still bandaged from the severe burn. A few weeks ago, I had attended a war meeting where I spoke out against one general's plans. Uncle told me not to do it, mainly due to how jealously defensive they could be, but never had I expected my own father challenging me to an Agni Kai for it. When I refused to fight, he burned my face and banished me, forcing me to find the long-lost Avatar before returning.

To no one's surprise, Uncle Iroh decided to join me on the trip. Maybe he felt there was no need to lose another child in the family after losing Lu Ten, but I welcomed his company. When my uncle did return to the Fire Nation after his disappearance, he was completely changed. Given that I had never been close to my father and my sister Azula, I bonded much easier with Uncle Iroh and Lu Ten, and knew them both quite well. In the past, Uncle and Lu Ten were intense individuals who were very dedicated to their work, but after Lu Ten's death Uncle seemed to have lost that fire within him. He retired as a general, became more easygoing than ever, and enjoyed life's pleasures rather than tackled responsibilities. While he still had most soldiers' respect, it felt like Ba Sing Se made my uncle turn softer than a pillow.

"You know, the Avatar hasn't been seen for a hundred years. The chances of finding him here are very slim," Uncle chimed in, cutting into my thoughts. My great-grandfather Sozin, my grandfather Azulon, my own father, and even Uncle Iroh had no success finding this lost individual. But knowing how they weren't doing this to regain honour, I could understand why they didn't see it as a priority. "Right now, you should take some time to heal and rest," he stated, gesturing at my left eye.

But that touched a nerve with me, as I was appalled by how relaxed Uncle was in the face of this great hardship. "What else do I expect to hear from the laziest man in the Fire Nation?" I retorted, glaring at him with my good eye, "The only way to regain my honour is to find the Avatar, so I will!" I turned away from him, no longer wanting to see such a disgrace. Sometimes, I truly wondered why Uncle Iroh even returned to the Fire Nation at all. When Azula taunted Uncle for being a quitter, I tried to defend him, but right now it felt like he didn't want to be defended at all, and took all criticism in stride.

As we entered the temple, hoping to search for clues to the Avatar's whereabouts, I told my uncle that it was my destiny. "If I have to, I will spend every day of the rest of my life hunting the Avatar." I stated, following Uncle as he marvelled at some statues.

As I said this, Uncle Iroh turned from one of the artworks to me. Placing a hand on my shoulder, he told me not to worry about it. "You know, Prince Zuko, destiny is a funny thing. You never know how things are going to work out, but if you keep an open mind, and an open heart, I promise you will find your own destiny someday."

Soon enough, we scoured the temple for clues. There didn't seem to be any evidence showing that the Avatar died during the war, leading me to believe that he was still alive. We would soon visit the other Air Temples, looking through those ruins to see if anything there told us more. During the entire time, Uncle Iroh was laid-back as ever, enjoying the views and complimenting the Air Nomad culture on the way. I knew both Uncle and Lu Ten enjoyed researching other cultures, trying to learn from them. It was a rare trait among Fire Nation people, especially in recent years. Throughout my life, I was told we were superior, and that Great-Grandfather Sozin started the conquest to share the wealth and technology with the world. I personally didn't see the need to investigate how another culture did things. If the Air Nomads were so great, why were they so easily wiped out? Couldn't they even defend themselves, given their bending?

And that was where we found ourselves, going around the world aimlessly for the last almost three years, wondering what all this was for. In my mind, I was still intent on finding my target, but Uncle had pretty much lost sight of this goal. Treating this as more of an extended vacation, all I saw from him was small-talk with the crew and people we ran into. Almost everywhere we went he was finding bargains for souvenirs, especially when it came to investigating the best tea combination. What was he accomplishing by doing that? Was he trying to find the long-lost Avatar by baiting our ship with tea? If that were the case, then maybe he could tell the Avatar, "Why don't you come with us to the Fire Nation as our prisoner? We got nice tea for you." Give me a break!

Today was no different, as we sailed near the South Pole, close to where the Southern Water Tribe was. I was at the bow of the ship, glaring through the massive icebergs while Uncle Iroh sat closely behind, sipping on his warm tea. The cold weather wasn't making things easy, and I could only wonder how Uncle could accept this frigid lifestyle of the lowly water benders. But my train of thought was sliced through by a huge pillar of light. Realizing that something spiritual was probably the cause of this, I immediately grabbed my uncle. "That light came from an incredibly powerful source. It has to be him!" I declared, clenching my fist and teeth simultaneously.

True to his fashion, Uncle dismissed that claim. "It's just a celestial light. We've been down this road before, Prince Zuko," he retorted, his eyes never leaving his game tiles, "I don't want you to get too excited over nothing." I could only yank on whatever little hair I had left on my head. Didn't Uncle take anything seriously?

Ignoring the plump, lazy man, I ordered the helmsman to head straight for the source of the light, knowing full well what it could mean for us. I climbed to the top of the control tower and kept watch, refusing to budge from my spot even when it got dark out. I didn't understand how Uncle could take this attitude towards something as big as redemption. I mean, he was once stripped of his birthright, as he never contested the throne that rightfully belonged to him when my father took over. Why did he feel there was no need to reclaim what was rightfully his? Even when he considered losing Lu Ten, it was still no excuse to shirk from his duties like that. What was he trying to prove?

Before long, I found fatigue setting in, forcing me to unwillingly retire to bed. But I barely got any shut-eye thanks to my concerns for capturing the Avatar. That was why, first thing the next morning, I insisted that Uncle taught me more fire bending techniques. Unlike my sister Azula, who my father branded as a prodigy, I never had the easy way to learn fire bending. Luckily, Lu Ten was always willing to give me pointers, usually under the supervision of Uncle. I always admired how Uncle managed to teach Lu Ten the full strength of fire bending without using any fierce methods, so I truly wished he would at least evaluate me. As we gathered on the deck, with a couple of crew members serving as my sparring partners, I felt Uncle's watchful eyes key in on me.

"Power from fire bending comes from the breath, not the muscle," Uncle's voice echoed off the hull of the ship as I sparred against two crew members at the same time. I truly wondered if this was how he taught Lu Ten, and what my cousin possibly got out of Uncle's meticulous nitpicking. My mind juggled between having to fend off my attackers and wondering whether it was worth requesting Uncle to be my instructor. I knew Father would rather teach Azula than me, so that meant I had no choice, even before my exile. But why did it feel like Uncle was being so picky over every small move I made?

Again and again Uncle made me do the same sequence over and over, all the while emphasizing how energy from within extend through the body and out the fist and feet as fire. After a while, I lost count of how many times we went over that technique, and I was fed up. "Teach me the next set of skills," I demanded, marching right up to Uncle's face, "I'm more than ready." I was willing to bet Uncle refused to proceed with my lessons because he was too lazy to move off his chair. That was why he kept delaying.

"No, you're impatient. You have yet to master your basics!" Uncle scolded, getting up off his chair for the first time since we began. The confounding man even dared to threaten forcing me back to doing breath-control exercises, and that crossed the line with me. It was time I showed him that just because he was my senior didn't mean he could run roughshod over me and forced me to do things against my will.

I unleashed a fire kick at each sparring partner, sending them across the deck. Lowering my fuming face at Uncle Iroh, I spat out my every concern to him. Stating that the Avatar was the last air bender, it meant he could be over a hundred years old. With all that time, he probably mastered all elements already, meaning I would require more than just basics techniques to defeat him. "You will teach me to advanced set!" I barked.

It was an uncompromising stare that Uncle was shooting back at me. But even with his hard-line approach, Uncle finally relented. I too eased my posture, until Uncle told me to wait. "I must finish my roast duck," he insisted, pulling out a bowl from behind his seat. The colour on my faced literally drained away as Uncle munched away at the rice and duck. I could only wonder how Uncle could fight the Avatar, given Uncle was still eating. Maybe Uncle could defeat him by knocking him out with a drumstick!

After a few more matches, I stepped to the top platform and scanned the area with a telescope, hoping I could catch a glimpse of anyone unusual. To no one's surprise, Uncle Iroh went to take a nap, leaving me to do all the hard work. Despite his laziness, I actually did some research of my own before coming here, and I heard stories from crew members that there was a stranded Fire Nation ship in the South Pole, courtesy of an older raid done decades ago. But given each ship had certain booby-traps, anyone still entering them carelessly would set things off. This was to ensure us that the other tribes wouldn't be raiding our supplies and stealing our secrets.

And soon enough, fireworks launched from said ship, whistling through the air before bursting and cracking like bombs. I whipped my telescope to the source of the noise and saw an individual leap out from the ship, sailing effortlessly through the air while carrying another individual clad in blue. "He's quite agile for his old age," I commented just as the crew joined me at the lookout position. Turning to the crew, I ordered them to wake my uncle, as I found the Avatar. "As well as his hiding place," I added, zooming in on a small water bending village.

Ordering the crew to set course for that village, I raced to my room to dress in my armour. Personally, I had no idea where Uncle was, or if he planned to help me with this fight at all. Even though I didn't like his overly casual attitude, I could really use his help right now, as a fully realized Avatar was an individual that I probably couldn't take out alone. It was times like these that I wondered if Uncle cared about not just family, but anything at all. Did he really tag along with me because he cared about me, or was it because he wanted an excuse to enjoy his retirement? Either way, I had a mission to do, and I was determined to regain my honour, with or without Uncle.

________________________________________

**Zuko's POV**

"You're just a child!" I exclaimed, facing off against the air bending Avatar. It had been three years since the Agni Kai in which I was banished, and every day I searched long and hard for the one thing that could regain my honour: the Avatar. Uncle Iroh accompanied me on this journey, but he was certainly not helpful, opting to relax and soak in the sights rather than helping me find the Avatar. Even though it had been a hundred years since anyone last heard of the Avatar, I was determined to seek him out. And given he would probably be an old man by now, I assumed he would have mastered all the elements already, making him a formidable foe.

But instead of a wise old man, I got this goofy kid sliding in on a penguin standing in my way. My search brought me to the Southern Water Tribe, where a strange beam of light was spotted among the icebergs. These peasants living in this slummy, rundown village were no match for me. It took me maybe two hits to take down their only capable warrior, but this boy thought he could take me on. Realizing he had the arrow tattoos of an air bender, I figured he was the Avatar, but I totally miscalculated on his age. How could someone who was supposed to be over a century old still be a youngster? It made absolutely no sense!

"You're just a teenager," the boy responded, sounding almost clueless. It made my blood boil to the max as his fake ignorance almost sounded like a taunt. Whipping up fires from my arms, I hurled them at my opponent in every way possible. Despite his young age, I didn't want to take the Avatar lightly. Someone who supposedly held the knowledge of all four elements was bound to have a huge arsenal of moves in his repertoire. So far, there hadn't been much reaction to my attacks, as all this baldy did was twirl his staff and deflect my shots. He probably found me so weak that he didn't need to go on the offensive. Now why didn't Uncle teach me the advanced set of fire bending moves before we invaded the village? Oh yeah, that's right, he wanted to finish his roast duck! Maybe he should knock the Avatar out with his drumstick then!

As fire continued to rain down on him, I could tell the Avatar had other priorities on hand. He kept glancing back to the crowd of blue-clad villagers behind him, like he was their only saviour or something. My stronger blasts managed to seep over his staff and threatened the group, causing him to call a stop to the fighting. "If I go with you, will you promise to leave everyone alone?" he pleaded, his eyes wavering but still confident.

Well, why didn't you just take that approach in the first place? Had you not just surrendered yourself to me, you think I had to take this crazy journey to this slummy village where I had to associate with these southern lowlifes? Nodding my head, I had my guards escort the Avatar on board while I confiscated his staff. Meeting my uncle on the deck, I handed the plump man the boy's staff, ordering that it be placed in my room. "Take the Avatar to the prison hold!" I barked, marching away from the guards.

After a quick chat with the helmsman of my ship, ordering that we changed course for the Fire Nation, I returned to my room, thinking how I would be received. For three years, I was the exiled prince, doomed to search the world for something that most people thought didn't even existed. While the Fire Nation waged the war for a hundred years, conquering land after land, the Avatar never appeared at all. While his absence meant the Fire Nation went pretty much unopposed, there was no denying the threat the Avatar would pose should he be rediscovered. We also had to keep in mind that we couldn't kill him, as that would just create a reincarnation into a different nation, making the search more difficult. With so many factors hindering me, accomplishing something no one had done for a century felt pretty good.

But in the midst of this was an even more important factor: being able to return home. For all these years, my main priority was regaining my father's love. Since my mom disappeared, I had no one to turn to for support. Azula pretty much monopolized my father's attention, and I had close to nothing. While Uncle Iroh took me under his wing, I absolutely could not stand hearing him tell stories of how he brewed tea or how he bought some weird relic for a bargain. There was more to being Fire Lord than useless topics like that, and I couldn't help but feel he was a burden on my journey. But then again, it meant I had to do everything on my own, which might score more points with my father. Hey, I had to grow up somehow, right? Why not prove it by doing what no Fire Lord did in a century?

"My staff!" A young voice snapped me to attention. A figure clad in air bender's robes invaded my room, leaving me in complete shock. The Avatar not only escaped his prison hold, but eluded the guards as well. I didn't know if it was my crew's incompetence or the Avatar's skill, but whatever the case, here was my big prize, standing in my room. With his evasiveness, I couldn't take a chance to let him escape. So, while the boy focused on his weapon, I slammed my door shut and locked it tight, facing this confounding kid head-on.

The kid had total fear in his eyes as I backed him into a corner with my fire fists, keeping him rolling back and forth just to get out of the way. Despite the limited space, I found it very difficult to keep him in one spot, as he soon found and opening and slipped through, positioning himself right behind me as I furiously shot away. This blasted kid seemed to be toying me as he created an air ball to ride on, zipping around my room while I burned it to bits. I wasn't going to slow him down this way, not if he was still rumbling up and down my walls on that air ball. If only I could knock him off that thing...

Oops, big miscalculation on my part, as that placed him precariously close to the Fire Nation banner I had above my bed. I never would have thought that flag would be used against me as that bald kid tore it off the wall and wrapped it around me. I struggled to break free, unleashing all the flames I could, only to be met by a blast of air. I landed face-first on my bed, in which the Avatar continued his mockery of me by sending it to the ceiling with another air blast. In a span of a few seconds, I swore I saw more stars than I had ever seen in my three years in exile. Right now, my perfect day seemed to be slipping through my grasp.

I raced after the boy in probably the only exit left: the control room at the tower of the ship. I arrived just in time to see the Avatar flip his staff open, turning it into a glider and ready to take off. I didn't know how gliders really worked, but I sure knew it wouldn't if I created enough of an obstacle for him. Leaping off the tower after him, I didn't even think about how crazy this move was, or the injuries I would get should I miss grabbing the boy. I had been through enough pain in my life to let some fall deter me from my goal, which was slipping away by the second. Stretching out, I lunged at the Avatar.

Luckily, I caught him in mid-flight, slowing him just enough to drop his altitude. I could feel my hope being restored as we tumbled to the ground, giving me enough time to keep the Avatar on this boat. Launching a few more fire punches at him, I had the Avatar teetering on the edge, before tumbling into the frozen water. Well, at least that stopped his motion for the moment, right? Now if only I could find a way to fish him back onto the boat. Where was Uncle when we needed him the most? Please don't be napping during my most important fight ever!

But I was completely paralyzed by the sight before me. The Avatar not only got himself out of the water, he managed to bring the water to us. Riding the largest waterspout I had ever seen, towering over the height of my ship, he landed on the deck, his eyes and tattoos glowing ominously. I didn't know whether I should attack or defend, but I barely got time to find out as he spun the water around him in indescribable speeds before launching it at my crew and me. Many crew members, me included, were sent overboard, getting a dip in the cold water. As the icy seas wrapped around my body, I truly thought I was going to die.

Things went from bad to worse as the Avatar's friends arrived to the rescue. The male water tribe warrior, the same one I dispatched of with relative ease when I invaded their tribe earlier, ended up using the Avatar's staff to poke me straight in the face. I was kept hanging onto the anchor, struggling to climb up while his sister froze a bunch of my crew solid. By the time I managed to climb back up, they already boarded a large, white, furry animal which surprisingly knew how to fly. I had no idea how something that heavy could take off, but I had to find some way of slowing them down. Seeing my uncle finally drag his lazy bum onto the deck, I called to him to help me shoot down that thing.

It was probably the final act of humiliation in a string of acts of humiliation when the Avatar met our dual fire blast head on, deflecting it onto the icebergs around us and causing an avalanche. I could only holler when the ice and snow buried our ship. With us completely trapped, the Avatar's team mockingly waved at us. I could feel my blood boil as they disappeared into the horizon, not just at the Avatar laughing at my misfortune, but also at how I underestimated this boy. The Avatar might just be a youngster, but by no means was he a weakling. The fact that he defeated me while fighting almost nonchalantly only showed how weak I still was. From now on, I vowed to train twice as hard, mastering fire techniques using every means necessary. Given my honour depended on the Avatar's capture, failure wasn't an option.

________________________________________

**Zuko's POV**

The setting sun withdrew its warmth from the land, bringing a chill up and down my body as I crouched to the end of this open arena. I still recalled vividly what happened when I was last in this position, waiting to fight my first ever Agni Kai. The result was this permanent mark surrounding my left eye, and complete banishment from my country, an exile that lasted well into its third year now. But now, with a different set of circumstances on the line, I was fighting for much greater stakes this time.

"Remember your fire bending basics, Prince Zuko," Uncle's voice sliced into my mind, "They are your greatest weapons." I could only smirk as Uncle reminded me how poorly he felt my development in fire bending was. There was no doubt in my mind that I was going against a fire bending master here, and that meant I had to be very careful.

I dropped the cloth draping my shoulders, leaving me bare-chested as my opponent did the same. "This will be over quickly," Commander Zhao sneered. Even though he was a military leader, meaning my superior (now that my birthright was stripped), I refused to let him win. My journey through the world allowed my patience to be tested beyond belief, meaning I could take quite a lot of insults hurled my way before I got mad. But Zhao had to take it one step further by making personal attacks against me, questioning my skill and resolve to capture the Avatar and mocking my banishment. If he dared question my honour, then he better back up his words.

I started at Zhao with a series of fire fists, remembering my breathing and footsteps as I unleashed punch after punch. Originally, things didn't start off this bad, as I merely docked at this port to get repairs done after the Avatar buried my ship in snow. I instructed my uncle and the crew not to mention the Avatar to Zhao, in case he started hunting the Avatar for his own personal glory. But then Uncle accepted the commander's invitation for tea, which gave Zhao time to send his men into my ship. After interrogating my crew, the secret was out that I was indeed in contact with the Avatar. And the worst thing was, Zhao realized I let the Avatar escape.

But Zhao shifted and dodged my every shot with ease, barely moving his feet at all. The smirk on Zhao's face only grew wider as I unleashed several fire kicks, all of which he handled effortlessly. This wasn't the first taunt Zhao hurled my way, as he made several nasty comments when we were in his tent earlier. Claiming I couldn't handle such an important task like catching the Avatar, he ordered that I relinquished the task to him. While Uncle and I were held prisoner in the tent, Zhao mobilized his troops all the while keeping my crew stranded inside our ship. To rub more salt on the wound, Zhao returned to humiliate me further, describing how my father saw me as a failure. If my father truly loved me he would have allowed me to return home now, Avatar or no Avatar. I just couldn't leave that comment alone, hence the challenge to a duel.

"Basics, Zuko!" Uncle shouted from the sidelines. I could feel the pressure gaining on me, to the point where I was ready to abandon my form and just went with fast and furious. Zhao was now on the offensive, jetting fire blast after fire blast, each larger than the one preceding it. I took several steps back, blocking the shots with my arms. It felt like Zhao was trying to beat me back with sheer power, and I had an awfully tough time defending against such ferocity.

Then a two-handed blast came right at me, the flames rising to my height as I lifted both arms to block. It came way quicker than expected, and burned much hotter than anticipated too. Before long, I felt myself getting thrown back several metres, landing flat on my back and taking deep breaths. I knew taking on Zhao would be difficult, but never in my mind had I imagined this type of power. Now, I could only wonder if another scar across my face would appear, just to match the one I already had. Two black eyes on the same face, what would I look like?

Oops, too late to figure that out. Zhao leaped into the air and landed right before me, tapping his front foot around a few times. He was about to launch the biggest blast at my face, but it was also right there that I found something to my advantage. Zhao put so much power into his blasts that it would actually launch his body forward more than it was required to maintain balance. With his body always on a slight teeter, thanks to the shift from basic balance form, maybe I could trip him up just to hold him off while I regrouped?

A-ha! I landed a perfect hit as I kicked out my foot, hooking it around Zhao's front ankle and flipping him around. As the commander's body hit the ground, I spun back onto my feet, giving me back the advantage. Now, not only was I out of danger, I found the perfect weak point to hit. Aiming at Zhao's feet, I sent low kick after low kick at him. With the fire scorching the earth and sending dust all around, Zhao could dance back. The frustrated look on his face was just fine by me, as I showed him just who he was messing with. With one final move, I lifted my kicks high. With Zhao's footsteps out of rhythm, I landed a hit right on his torso. With two blasts near his face, the commander was right where he belonged: rolling around in the dirt.

Now the most ironic twist happened, as he was on the ground while I hovered above him. This was the best time for me to give him a scar that matched mine, just like how I promised him when we were in that tent. All those remarks about my birthright being taken, about how I was unworthy of leading an expedition to capture the Avatar, and even little things like keeping me trapped in that tent, I wanted to let it all out of Zhao right now. Fuelling the flame in my fist, I let it loose in his direction, aiming right at the level of his head.

But I didn't leave that mark on his face. As much as I hated Zhao, I didn't feel the need to scar him for life. While I was in that tent, Zhao hurled putdowns at me that my uncle could have clearly handled, but instead he chose to remain silent. Initially I was quite frustrated with Uncle's inaction, but I realized that silence was the best weapon at the time. Letting Zhao trip up like he did now was the best medicine, as Zhao himself just showed the whole battalion what a total fool he was. As the burnt earth sizzled beside Zhao's ear, the arrogant man taunted me again, saying how my father raised a cowardly son. "Next time you get in my way, I promise I won't hold back," I retorted, not even bothering to answer his critique.

Turning away from Zhao, I thought about all my actions. Even though my uncle could be an eccentric character, I felt part of his strength was the fact that he never lost his composure even in the face of great pressure. I admitted that I wasn't strong in that department with Zhao, but at least I tried to give the man a chance. There was no need for me to nail his face to the wall. Rather, I would let justice handle itself. Even if Zhao didn't learn his lesson, I doubted his men would see him the same way, especially when he was defeated by a supposed outcast.

Just then, I heard a loud roar, followed by scorching heat approaching my back. I turned around just in time to see Uncle step before Zhao, who was now standing. His leg was high in the air, with heat sizzling from it. So not only was Zhao unable to accept defeat, he had to go so low and resort to a sneak attack? Zhao was really grating on my nerves today, behaving way less honourable than anyone I had ever seen. Maybe I shouldn't have held back against him, huh?

But before I could unleash anything, Uncle stopped me. Pushing Zhao backward, letting him roll in the sand again, Uncle warned me not to taint my victory by further attacking Zhao. Leaving me to look on, Uncle lumbered up to the fallen commander. "So this is how the great Commander Zhao acts in defeat? Disgraceful," he spat, his tone neither angry nor emotional, "Even in exile my nephew is more honourable than you. Thanks again for the tea."

With that, Uncle brought me out of the arena, not bothering to look back at the fallen commander. While I had pretty much the same thoughts as uncle, I never would have expected him to say it out loud. During the whole time Zhao insulted us, Uncle was sipping tea and barely saying a word. So for him to now smack Zhao across the face with this honour statement, I was truly surprised. But more shocking was the amount of faith Uncle had in me even though I disagreed and argued with him throughout my journey. "Did you really mean that?" I asked.

Uncle didn't say much, but when he told me how he liked Zhao's ginseng tea, I knew what he was thinking. From now on, I had to work extra hard at my task. Not only was I trying to restore my own honour, but also the honour of my uncle. For too long the world saw him as a crazy, tea-obsessed, over-the-hill nutcase. But today, with just one act alone, I learned a lot about how I should steer the direction of my life. Hopefully I could apply them sometime in my future.

________________________________________

**Zuko's POV**

My shuttle boat slowly lowered into the water amidst a cloud of smoke emitting from the back of my ship. My journey in following the Avatar took a couple of strange turns, as Uncle was captured by earth benders while soaking in a hot spring. I had to rescue him from those dirt lovers, all the while fighting alongside a half-naked old man. I didn't know what made my stomach churn more: the battle against five elite earth benders, or the ride back to my ship on my Komodo Rhino with my half-naked uncle. Let's just hope that would never happen again.

But right now, there were more important matters at hand, as I had a sighting of the Avatar heading straight for the Fire Nation. Uncle and the crew objected my venture back home, claiming that my banishment meant I would be arrested the second I set foot in Fire Nation territory. But knowing the Avatar was getting deeper into my homeland, I had no choice but to follow. It meant breaking through a naval blockade coordinated by none other than Commander Zhao, who oddly enough stopped his ships for me to pass. It baffled me how he could have arrested me on the spot, but yet still allowed me to go through.

"Keep heading north," I instructed my now-clothed uncle, "Zhao will follow the smoke trail while I use it as a cover." I had a hunch that Zhao let me past not because he was a nice guy. That was confirmed when Uncle pointed out the smoke spewing from my ship, a result of Zhao's men launching fire projectiles at us. With such a visible trail, Zhao could easily follow the ship all the way to the Avatar and captured the boy himself. In that case, I wanted to take advantage of the smokescreen. Sneaking out on my shuttle, I followed the Avatar by myself while my uncle continued as a decoy. Hopefully, that would push Zhao away from my direction.

As my shuttle putted along the water, I had another hunch where the Avatar might be headed. Given that the Avatar before him was a fire bender, it was likely he would go to Roku's Temple on Crescent Island. I didn't know what possible advice Roku could give this boy. But knowing how powerful Roku was, I certainly didn't want that kid anywhere near that temple. I was already taking a big risk going into the temple, as the Fire Sages were all loyal to the Fire Lord. If they spotted me, they might just report me to the authorities. I was sure my father would let this go, given my mission was to get the Avatar, but I didn't want the sages to make a fuss.

Before long, Crescent Island came into view. The active volcano still displayed its fury, magma flowing from the top and down into the bedrock. I wasn't overly aware of this area, given how few people frequented here since it erupted. Yet something about this place gave me a sense of familiarity, almost like it was welcoming me in. I didn't know if it was because I hadn't gone back to the Fire Nation in three years, making any Fire Nation structure remind me of home, but something inside was calling to me, and only made me want to enter quicker.

But thinking back to who was possibly inside, I knew why I had to get in quickly. The Avatar most likely arrived before I did. He probably already reached the top chamber, where the Roku sanctuary was located. I didn't know too much about how a current Avatar contacted a past Avatar, but the sooner I got that baldy away from Roku, the better. Quickening my pace, I hustled up the steps, trotting up to the main entrance of the temple.

Again, I had no idea how I knew the route, but something kept bringing me into the right chambers and stairways, which ultimately led me higher and higher up. Maybe my luck was finally changing, given how rotten it had been since Mom died. I could almost taste victory picturing myself marching back to the capital with the Avatar as my prisoner, the crowds cheering me on and my father welcoming me as a hero. My birthright would be restored, my honour would return, and no longer would I be subject to Azula's taunts. My sister was always my father's favourite, but I would love to see the look on her face when I claimed that role from her.

A huge explosion brought my attention to the final flight of stairs, which was just in the next hall. I pressed my back against the wall, getting a good listen as a young boy's frustrated voice echoed through the chambers. It was undoubtedly the Avatar, who was somehow still outside of the sanctuary. Ha, so the goofball didn't know how to reach Roku. That gave me more time to plan how to capture him and make a quick escape. With Zhao still following the smoke and the Avatar stuck out here, it felt like the stars were aligning for me.

A Fire Sage rushed out from the stairs, causing me to duck for cover. I counted off at least five minutes before four more sages returned with the original one, each with a frantic look on their faces. I couldn't hear clearly what they were saying, but it was something along the lines of the Avatar being able to climb into the sanctuary. What? A minute ago, I clearly heard that crazy kid ranting about the doors not opening! What was going on? Sneaking to the mouth of the stairway, I craned my head up and tried to stare in with my one good eye.

The five sages lined up before the door, each unleashing a fire blast at the lock. I looked around as they continued their work, and suddenly spotted what I was seeking. The Avatar was right there, hiding behind the pillar closest to the staircase, looking like he was ready to dash in! So we had a Fire Sage betraying the team, helping the Avatar enter the sanctuary, was that it? If I captured the Avatar, I would make sure that sage faced justice as well. "Aang, now's your chance," I heard that water bending girl call the Avatar just as she, her brother, their lemur, and the traitorous sage disabled the four fire benders. I had to time it perfectly as the Avatar prepared to make his move. I knew how slick he was in the past, and I couldn't mess up again. When the air bender got into position, I pounced from the stairway.

The catch was right on schedule as I pulled the Avatar's arms behind his back. "The Avatar's coming with me," I retorted, just as the fire sages pulled a reversal and pinned the Avatar's team instead. Still struggling with the squirming air bender, I tried to push him toward the staircase. I admitted that I didn't have a plan to drag him all the way down quickly, but as long as he was in my grasp, I believed it would work out.

Oh, how wrong I was! Not only did the Avatar escape my hold, he threw me down the stairs. Peeling my battered body from the steps, with only my armour preventing any large-scale damage, I could only see the Avatar somersaulting through the now-closing doors of the sanctuary. Curse my rotten luck for not being able to stop him! Lining up the sages again, we prepared to blast more fire through the locks. The sooner I flushed him out, the better.

But to my surprise, the doors refused to open. "Avatar Roku doesn't want us inside," the head sage explained. I could only fume in anger, wondering just how in the world the Avatar outsmarted me again. Well, at least we had his friends from the Southern Water Tribe chained against the pillars. Where was that traitor sage? I had some serious interrogation to do.  
The other sages brought the traitor before me, his hands tied behind his back. "Why did you help the Avatar?" I demanded. All sages were supposed to follow orders from the Fire Lord and anyone in the Fire Nation chain of command, so why the treachery?

As the old man explained how he felt it was the sages' duty to assist the Avatar, I heard sarcastic clapping coming from behind me. "I'm certain that the Fire Lord would understand when you explain why you betrayed him," that snarky, arrogant voice sneered. It didn't take a second look for me to realize that Zhao arrived to the temple. Turning to me, Zhao revealed that he caught on to my trick. "It was a noble effort, but your little smokescreen didn't work! Two traitors in one day, the Fire Lord will be pleased!" With that, I felt one of Zhao's men handcuff me, pulling me to an adjacent pillar and chaining me there with the traitor sage.

Before long, Zhao lined his troops up, waiting for the Avatar to come out. "When those doors open, unleash all your firepower," he ordered. I could only wonder what would happen if the Avatar did go down in Zhao's hands. All my efforts, all the glory, everything I spent so long fighting for would be lost in a second. How could I ever return home and be accepted by my father? Would any family member, save for Uncle Iroh, save me from this nasty fate?

A huge white light engulfed the entire room, its energy both astonishing and frightening. I could only turn away as Zhao commanded his men to launch their blasts at the figure standing ominously in the light. In mere seconds, the Avatar would be burned to a crisp, and I could kiss my dream of restoring my honour goodbye. The heat from several simultaneous fire blasts was so great that I could feel the embers resonating off my face, even from a distance away.

But surprisingly, the blasts soon halted, even though the fire was still present. I looked up just in time to see an apparition of Avatar Roku, spinning the flames around and launching them straight at the army. Several foot soldiers were blown back, the fire knocking people over and heading right for the pillars. I barely had time to react as it reached for me, the heat melting the metallic chains around my body. Despite the close proximity, I didn't feel it burn my body at all.

But no time to figure out why Avatar Roku spared me, as this place was getting more and more unstable by the second. With Zhao's men still confused and no signs of the current Avatar, I raced down the stairs and back to my boat, hoping to make an escape before this place blew up entirely. Even as I rushed through the same stairs I entered from, the foundation of the temple was shaking, almost like the magma located beneath us was bubbling despite not having a true eruption on this volcano since Roku died. Again, I had no idea how I remembered the way out. It almost seemed like a supernatural force was guiding me back to my shuttle.

By the time I did reach my small vessel, the temple had already tilted to one side. The magma rumbled so ferociously that even the bridge leading into the front entrance was on the verge of collapse. I gunned the engine and pulled out from there, occasionally looking back to see Zhao and his men still evacuating back to their ships. The white bison belonging to the current Avatar flew up to the tower, most likely to pick up the kid and his friends. I didn't know how he did it, but that bald guy kept lucking out again and again. But hey, he had his former reincarnation helping him escape, so why should I be surprised by him surviving?

Taking my boat back to sea to rendezvous with my uncle, I kept trying to figure out why I felt so weird at the temple. I had never met any of the sages before, and Avatar Roku died way before I was born. In that case, there was no way I could feel any sense of familiarity to that temple. Added to the fact was that the Avatar was there, meaning any purpose for me to go there was for capturing him only, nothing more. With only my honour at stake, why would I even think there was something about this place that kept drawing me closer?

Whatever the case, this was the most dangerous stunt I ever pulled in capturing the Avatar. Not only had I risked getting arrested by Zhao, I nearly lost my life getting stuck in that explosion in Roku's Temple. The sheer power of Roku's fire bending was indescribable, to the point where even a master like Zhao seemed weak. Yet, comparing the way Roku used his fire, Zhao (and probably me as well) was undeniably different. Roku's flames were ferocious, but also had an aura of calmness about them. It almost felt like as the Avatar, he was using a whole new set of techniques than the one I was used to. Hopefully I could get a chance to sort things through with Uncle before we continued on, but for now, it was time to return to my ship.

________________________________________

**Zuko's POV**

My back bumped slightly along the rocky road as I held onto the bars at the bottom of this cart, heading straight for the Pohuai Stronghold. After my ship sailed through a violent storm, we were in complete damage-control mode, trying to regain our location and any hints of where the Avatar might have gone to. Just when I was discussing with my lieutenant, this Fire Nation navy ship pulled up and announced Commander Zhao had been promoted to an admiral. Declaring that catching the Avatar was now a top priority, they ordered any updates on Avatar information must be handed over to Zhao, who was now leading this mission. My blood boiled just listening to that, and I commanded those idiots off my ship, flatly refusing to give them anything. Was Zhao trying to ensure that I could never go home here? If this was his way of getting revenge against my victory over him in the Agni Kai, I would hurt Zhao for sure.

Whatever the case, I had been aware of Zhao's past few moves, mainly because I was spying on him under a disguise. I found a blue mask at a nearby theatre and decided to use that as my costume in sneaking into the fortress. When I heard that Zhao recruited the Yu Yan Archers, a highly skilled archery security team, into finding the Avatar, I realized I pretty much lost all my chances. The Yu Yan Archers were highly precise in their shooting, and I doubted even the Avatar's quickness could escape them for very long. My theory was soon confirmed when earlier in the day, I saw the Avatar being pulled into the fortress in a net. Realizing that if Zhao brought the boy to my father first, then I lose my honour, I had to take drastic action.

I slipped into the back compartment of the cart just as the guard inspected the bottom, making sure he didn't see me as the driver was allowed into the stronghold. The plan was very dangerous, but rewarding if it worked. I would free the Avatar from the fortress, bringing him outside and taking him to my ship myself. That way, Zhao wouldn't know who freed the Avatar, and I could still regain my honour. If only I could get to the chamber where they imprisoned that bald kid, and got out of here with him and without security seeing me, I would be home free.

I slipped off the cart and into a nearby watchtower just as Zhao addressed his troops. "Only one thing stood in our victory: the Avatar!" Zhao declared from his tower, that oh-so-arrogant pose flaunting in the sole set of torches lighting his figure, "I am here to tell you that he is now my prisoner!" He continued ranting about how he believed this was our victory year, with the return of Sozin's Comet giving fire benders more power, and that we would burn the Earth Kingdom capital of Ba Sing Se to the ground. And believe it or not, his men ate that garbage up like it was nothing. I could only roll my eyes as Zhao boasted of his achievement. Zhao, if you only knew what I had in mind, you wouldn't be celebrating right now.

I slid into the sewers and up another gate, trying to find the centre tower, where most prisoners ought to be located. I knew the Avatar was great with air, meaning he most likely had to be isolated from any sources, and was certainly to have his limbs bound. Climbing the final ladder leading up the tower, I rushed through the last passageway, hoping to enact the next step of my plan. Hiding my identity meant the guards couldn't possibly know I was a fire bender, meaning only physical attacks and defensive manoeuvres worked here. I made quick work of the first guard, who was unfortunate enough to strafe into my path. Tying him up with some chain, I threw his disabled body into a nearby closet, and tossed his helmet into the next path. This was most likely the last area before reaching the Avatar, so I had to use the element of surprise.

Luckily, the final guards were just as clueless as their friend, as they wandered right into my trap. I brought a large collection of old chains from both my ship and in old fortresses that I visited prior, meaning I had ample weapons to tie these guys up. After jumping at them from the ceiling, I turned the corner and rushed the final guard, blocking his fire by dousing it with water, before knocking him out with the bucket. I had to admit that it was one of the most unorthodox ways of knocking out a person, but at least it achieved my goal, right? Snatching his keys from his belt, I proceeded to opening this final door.

And to no one's surprise, there was my big prize. The Avatar was chained by the hands and feet, stretched in a standing pose and screaming in fright as I brandished my swords at him. Don't worry, baldy, I wasn't about to let you die. You were way too important to my honour, and I was sure to keep you alive until I reached the Fire Nation capital. Chopping off his chains, I freed the boy and motioned him to follow me. He had to be the most clueless individual in the world as he kept calling to me, asking me if I was helping him escape or something like that. Uh, the point of an escape was to make sure no one knew about it. Why in the names of all things sacred were you shouting at me at the top of your lungs?

Just to make it worse, that crazy kid ran off from me, chasing a bunch of half-frozen frogs that slipped out of his shirt. "My friends need to suck on those frogs!" he yelled just as I grabbed him by the collar and pulled him away. I had no idea what prompted the Avatar to collect such unusual stuff. While I could attribute my uncle collecting weird things to his notion of buying stuff at a bargain, I couldn't possibly explain why the saviour of the world did it. Did his immaturity know no bounds? At this rate, the Fire Nation would have won the war before he even realized what happened. Have fun collecting frozen frogs, you brat!

We re-entered the sewers heading back to the entrance just as I thought about what this meant to me. Surely Uncle wouldn't approve such a crazy mission. He was against me going to Avatar Roku's temple just to pursue this boy, so he certainly would not allow me to infiltrate Zhao's fortress just to snatch the Avatar from under the now-admiral's nose. But at the same time, I also realized that the Avatar was my responsibility, and that success or failure in bringing him to the Fire Nation was complete on my shoulders. Failure was certainly not an option for me, as that meant I could never go home. Given that I could truly succeed this time, shouldn't Uncle at least give me some credit? If I was re-accepted by my father and became known as a great hero, Uncle could be rewarded as well. Didn't he want to redeem himself?

"The Avatar has escaped! Close all the gates immediately!" Zhao's voice blared through the night sky just as we found an exit door. The Avatar hustled past me for the open door just as I was intercepted by several guards pointing their spears in my face. Well, alongside fire bending, I did have the advantage of practicing with several different types of weapons during my exile, so what better chance than to show off my skills right here?

I slashed and hacked away at the spears near me, all the while keeping my feet in motion and avoiding their hits altogether. I never would have thought Uncle's lessons on footwork in fire bending would come in handy in a non-bending battle, as the guards certainly had their hands full trying to take me out. That being said, I still couldn't quite reach the doors, which were probably closed by now. There were just too many guards around me, and I didn't have the time to take them all out and make a run for it. As I continued swinging away at the guards, hoping reinforcements didn't arrive soon, I could only hope the Avatar didn't run off on me. What would Uncle think if he knew I botched another dangerous mission?

Luckily, the boy was still around, using his air bending to blow the guards surrounding me away. We then catapulted onto the top of the fortress wall, thanks to more air bending, and had to face off against another set of guards. This time, we weren't just attacked from our either side, but also from below, as reinforcements arrived with sets of ladders, trying to climb up to us. While I handled those on the wall, the Avatar used air blasts to keep the guards below us from erecting the ladders. I admitted that we had a pretty good rhythm going, until the Avatar grabbed two ladders and handed them to me. "Jump on my back," he instructed as he hoped onto another erected ladder with fire benders still underneath. Was he crazy to even try that?

Nonetheless, it was our only way out, and even though we could very well burn to a crisp here, we had to at least try. Using the ladders as crutches, we swung forward towards the outer gate. We were on our last ladder just when the guards lit it on fire, burning up whatever was left of our crutch. I could only hiss in disappointment as we missed the outer gate by inches, crashing into the doors and flopping to the ground. The only saving grace was that the fall wasn't that steep, meaning there were no injuries as we slammed into the ground. Great, now we had to take on more guards! Let's just hope Zhao didn't get his ugly face down here.

Oops, spoke too soon, as there was the scum of the earth, strolling almost leisurely towards us. It was sickening seeing him think victory was his when he ordered his troops not to attack the Avatar. "The Avatar must be captured alive," he ordered, making all the guards hold their fire against us. Oh, how I wanted to rub it in his face when I brought the Avatar back to the palace while he had to sit there and watched me get all the glory.

Wait, bringing him back alive? That gave me an idea, as Zhao was unlikely to hurt me if I threatened the Avatar's life. Bringing my blades out, I placed one on either side of the Avatar's head, threatening to decapitate him. With all the guards around us frozen in horror, I glared at Zhao in the eyes, daring him to make a move. If Zhao even thought about advancing in on me, I would kill the Avatar on the spot. Even if my father inquired, it was so easy just to blame it on Zhao, claiming his security forces were incompetent. How would Zhao work his way out of this now?

"Open the gates," Zhao hissed through clenched teeth. I could feel his temper boiling over, knowing I got the best of him this time. The doors rumbled and creaked open, allowing me to exit by stepping backwards slowly. The fume on Zhao’s face was the face I had been waiting for the entire time, the one of defeat as Zhao's prize slowly slipped away from him. Once I could get away from this fortress, it was smooth sailing all the way to my ship.

Then, a sudden jolt to the centre of my mask completely blindsided me. I felt a numbing pain as my head spun uncontrollably. I didn't know what hit me or where it came from, but I knew I was losing consciousness. I felt my body going limp, falling backwards onto the rocky road and involuntarily releasing the Avatar from my grip. The last thing I had on my mind was what would happen now. I could no longer keep an eye on the Avatar, so I hoped he didn't run off on me again. He stuck around in the stronghold, so could he stay again?

By the time daylight returned to my vision, I found myself lying in the middle of a forest, with the Avatar crouched near a tree root just above me. I couldn't hear what he said, but it was something about meeting and missing his friends from a century back and one of them was from the Fire Nation. "If we knew each other back then, do you think we could have been friends too?" he asked, turning a smiling face towards me.

My blood boiled just hearing that. Was he trying to taunt me for my efforts last night? I had to bring him back to the capital to restore my honour, and risked life and limb just to pull him out from there. Now all he could say was we ought to be friends? Ignoring the stars in my vision while I shot up, I launched a fire blast right at this crazy kid.

To no one's surprise, the Avatar did what he did best and escaped the situation, hopping from tree to tree and away from the scene. I could only look on, not knowing what to think or feel as my prize eluded me once more. I had no idea why my plans always seem to fail, even though they should have worked in any given circumstance. Was I missing something? Did I miscalculate certain factors? Why was it that every time I had the Avatar in my grasp, I always ended up losing him? Why was he so hard to capture?

Whatever the case, I had to go back to the ship. Uncle was probably waiting for me, even though I knew he was more concerned with music night than anything else. It was time to rest up and thought up of another plan, as time was running out. Sozin's Comet would arrive in the summer, and that was when we planned to end the war. If I didn't catch the Avatar before that, then I was sure to never regain my honour, no matter how hard I tried.

________________________________________

**Zuko's POV**

"Prince Zuko," I heard my uncle call from the door. I was in my quarters, the lighting dim and the surroundings cool as the heavyset man stuck his head through the entrance. "The crew wanted me to wish you safe travel," he announced.

The temperature in the room just dropped further as I shot back a dark look. "Good riddance to those traitors," I barked, the lights on the walls flickering as Uncle stepped in. As luck would have it, Zhao, now promoted to admiral, stepped onto my ship on Uncle's "music night" and conscripted my crew for his latest project: an all-out invasion of the Northern Water Tribe. In my mind, I had that place targeted as well, given the Avatar would be there to learn water bending. But Zhao beat me to the punch as he insisted my crew went with his, leaving my ship completely empty and barren.

And here I was, fuming in anger while shivering in the cold alone, with only Uncle's offers of going for a night walk being the only sound bouncing off the hull. I had no idea why Uncle would let the crew go off that easily. He was friends with most crew members, right? Why didn't he work harder to persuade them to stay? Either way, I was very angry at Uncle's nonchalant way of handling the issue. Did I not matter to him anymore? Did my honour not matter to him anymore?

Before long, there was complete silence on the boat, giving me a perfect time to think about the past events. I had come a long way since the incident with the pirates, given Uncle's incompetence and Zhao's relentlessness. That included having me take a secret identity, the Blue Spirit, to infiltrate Zhao's camp to take the Avatar from him. That ironically meant I had to save the Avatar from Zhao, before I could take him as my own captive. That plan, along with countless others, some of which concocted by Uncle, failed, leaving me sitting here stewing in my own juices. It really made me wonder what Uncle did when Zhao boarded my ship, and what his next move would be. Certainly he wouldn't cross over to Zhao's team and leave me all alone, right?

Suddenly, a creaking sound echoing through the halls caught my attention. "Uncle, is that you?" I asked, leaping from my bed and hurrying out my room. Earlier, Zhao took the honour of informing me himself that he would be taking my crew, and we nearly broke into a fistfight in my room. Luckily for Zhao, Uncle intervened; otherwise Zhao would have to go to the North Pole with two black eyes, a broken nose, and several of his teeth missing. Was he trying to sneak back in here to torment me further?

I put myself in full defence mode as I edged down the hallway, my eyes alternated back and forth. My body shifted through light and darkness, my every step lighter than a feather as sounds around me amplified. I tried to peer through the shadows, looking for anything suspicious as I made the way to the control tower. With a higher altitude, I should see the deck better. This was getting more and more unusual as I climbed my way up. Did something happen to Uncle, or was I the subject to an invasion myself?

Just then, a fluttering object outside the control room windows caught my eye. It was green, feathery, and had wings. Its distinctive squawk made me realize what it was: it was the bird belonging to the pirate captain I crossed paths with earlier. My heart raced to unbelievable rates as I realized the pirates must be around, and who knew what they were doing to my ship right now? After the Avatar humiliated them and destroyed their ship (along with my shuttle), I was certain they would seek revenge. Gripping the rails, I glanced down onto the deck, frantically searching for any strangers. Should they get their hands on any important equipment, I would be in big trouble.

But I barely got a second to look as a large fireball engulfed the tower, the wall of orange rushing up to my face. My eyes grew to the size of plates as I tried summoning a fire shield to block the damage, but I knew my fate was sealed. I was soon engulfed by the flames, my flimsy shield doing little to block the flying debris. Soon, piercing pain resonated from various parts of my body, my clothing sliced and my skin oozing with blood as the force of the explosion knocked me overboard. With my body feeling like it had been stabbed by a hundred knives, I plunged into the water below.

The pain on my body significantly intensified as the frigid liquid wrapped around my already weakened body. Muscle after muscle cramped up as my warm blood mixed with the cold water, leaving my in a helpless state as my ship crashed and burned above me. For the first time since after my Agni Kai with my father, I truly felt helpless. "Is anybody there? Help!" I mustered all my strength in hollering.

Flaming debris soon surrounded me as I struggled to kick myself to shore. It was like I was in a semi-paralyzed state, knowing I must move to safety but having no ability in doing so. I truly wondered what it would be like with my journey ending in failure. My only regret other than not regaining my honour was leaving Uncle behind. He already lost a loved one in Lu Ten, and the last thing he wanted was to lose me. I knew sometimes I wondered if he truly cared at all, but either way, he was still a relative. When someone lost a relative, it was usually a sad event for them, right?

Just as I was about to give way to unconsciousness, two strong arms latched onto me and hauled me away from the debris. I turned my head around to see that round face of Uncle's, his eyebrows creasing to epic proportions as his lips quivered. "Prince Zuko, you can't give up yet," he urged me on, "we still have to go to the North Pole."

I barely eked out a smile as Uncle pulled me onto the shore, slipping us into a nearby lodge as my ship collapsed into the sea. Given we had no medic around, Uncle tended to my wounds, his hands poking and prodding various areas while his eyes gauged my expression. "That must have been some reflex you had to dodge so many shots. Your fighting skills must have improved greatly," he commented, "but nothing means more to me than you getting out of that ship alive, Prince Zuko. You mean everything to me."

Hearing that made whatever pain in my body subside, as I realized Uncle did care about me after all. All this time, I thought he was a lazy, hedonistic man whose only worry was when the meals were, when music night was, and what trinkets he could buy at a bargain. But now, it felt like he was willing to forgo all that just to get me to safety. Deep down, I started feeling horrible for all the nasty things I said about him, and I truly wanted him to realize how much this meant to me. "If I had another chance to choose who could go on this redemption journey with me, I would make the same choice again," I whispered, "I wouldn't even hesitate in having you come along."

The only response from Uncle was a hard yank into his body, his arms holding me tight around him. "I was so afraid I would lose you," he muttered, "and I'm glad you're now alright." Holding my shoulders, he inspected me one more time before getting onto more serious business. "I know you're wounded right now, Prince Zuko, but if we still want to go after the Avatar, we have a perfect opportunity in the next few days."

Ignoring the pain, I lifted myself up to hear Uncle more carefully. I could barely see his face in this dark room, with only the moonlight outside illuminating us. But even in limited lighting, I could catch a glimpse of Uncle's serious expression as he explained how Zhao was about to lay siege on the North Pole. Originally, Zhao requested Uncle to be his advisor, but Uncle flatly refused to break his loyalty to me. "I know this bombing had something to do with Zhao, and I know he must be thinking that a weakling like you perished. That's why this is the perfect time to strike," he described, "I will accept his offer to be his advisor, and you can pose as one of his crew. No one will know that you are smuggled to the North Pole with him, and you can capture the Avatar."

I returned Uncle's look, his face stoic as he reminded me of my injuries. It was true that I wouldn't be in top fighting condition, but it was a chance that I had to take. If I made it in there quickly, and captured the Avatar before the water benders knew anything then maybe I had a chance. Taking a deep breath, I answered, "I'm in."

Before long, Uncle went back to the shipwreck and pulled out the necessary supplies. First he bandaged up my wounds, making sure they were cleaned before placing the clothes on them. Next he found an old set of Fire Nation armour, one that surprised me as to how well it fit. He also found a helmet to cover my face, which now sported a few new cuts and bruises to go along with my scar. "Now we're ready to see Zhao," he told me, "just intermingle with the crew while I speak to him. He'll never know it's you."

And that was how I would spend my next few days, wandering around the galley of Zhao's lead ship. There were many new recruits, some of whom were only a few years older than me. The Northern Water Tribe was one of the last remaining strongholds that the Fire Nation had yet to conquer, and assuming Zhao could defeat this lot, his name would go down in history. Personally, Zhao could have all the glory he wanted for this, but my goal was to get the Avatar. And looking back at Uncle's plan, I now knew why he was famous for his craftiness in the Fire Nation military. He was just so efficient at what he did, and it made me wonder if I could ever be like him.

Either way, my time with Uncle on this ship was limited, as by accepting Zhao's offer, he would be with Zhao in the command centre the majority of the time. In fact, Zhao's ship wasn't even near the frontlines, meaning we were quite a distance a way when the initial battles started. Nevertheless, I got a good view on the frontline ships hurling their flaming projectiles at the massive ice wall surrounding the Northern fortress. It was a sight to behold, totally opposite from it southern counterpart.

Nevertheless, it was time for me to take action. With the crew occupied by the siege, they would not notice one of their safety rafts taken as an infiltration vessel. I brought only the barest of necessities with me, with just enough to keep me alive in that frigid castle. If this mission was successful, Uncle would get my undying gratitude. As I was about to disembark, the door behind me creaked open. "You'll need a tightly woven net, or he'll squeeze through the tiniest hole and escape," Uncle's voice commented.

I shook my head, realizing that the last thing I wanted was for Uncle's sometimes confusing idioms to break my concentration. "I don't need your wisdom right now, Uncle," I replied, my mind still set on the task. Locating the Avatar in that fortress would be difficult, and with all those water benders around, I wouldn't be exactly welcomed in.

"I'm sorry," Uncle responded, his voice and tone significantly muted. I knew what he was about to say next, and even though I told him not to say it, he would proceed anyway. "I just nag you because, well, ever since I lost my son," he stuttered, his voice cracking, "I think of you as my own." He concluded, his every word laced with sobs.

Immediately, we ran to each other and held each other in a tight hug. "We'll meet again, Uncle, after I have the Avatar." I informed him. While I understood that Lu Ten was forever in Uncle's heart, I couldn't help but realize how significant that gesture was. As I hoped onto my raft and lowered it from Zhao's ship, I truly considered how I never had a good relationship with my father, as he tended to favour my sister Azula. To him, I was lucky to be born, while Azula was born lucky. I had to claw and struggle my way through life, with my mother commenting that it was my most distinctive trait.

But throughout this taxing journey, who was the one to make my struggle easier to bear? Uncle Iroh. Now, I heard it from his own mouth: he joined me not because he wanted a vacation, but because he loved me like a son. And reflecting on all the things he did for me, I must say the feeling was mutual, as I truly felt Uncle Iroh should now be considered my new father. With that in mind, I was determined not to let him down.

________________________________________

**Zuko's POV**

The full moon was the only light illuminating the water as I loaded my small raft with all the necessary supplies. Uncle's plan to smuggle me into Zhao's crew worked to perfection, as not once did the admiral realize that I was on board his ship. Now, after a full day of bombarding the Northern Water Tribe, I was ready to infiltrate the fortress myself. The Avatar was bound to be in there, trying in vain to defend the water benders. With the Fire Nation naval fleet keeping the main defences of the fortress at bay, it was the perfect time for me to strike.

"You'll need a tightly woven net, or he'll squeeze through the tiniest hole and escape," an old but sagely voice cut in from behind. I turned around to see my uncle there, a look of concern plastered onto his face. I understood that he was looking out for me, and didn't want anything bad to happen, but his confusing idioms weren't exactly called for right now.

"I don't need your wisdom right now, Uncle," I responded, concentrating on fitting my equipment onto the raft. With only the barest of essentials with me, I planned on making a quick dart in there, grabbed the Avatar, and charged out. Somehow, having Uncle in here mumbling his weird advice to me ended up breaking my concentration rather than strengthening it.

"I'm sorry," Uncle replied, his tone muted and melancholic, "I just nag you because, well, ever since I lost my son, I think of you as my own." Sobs followed his final words, making me take my mind off the raft and approached the balding man. For years, I had been harsh on Uncle, and perhaps most of the criticism was unjustified. But now, seeing this as my chance to succeed, I couldn't let him down. Placing a hand on his shoulder, I pulled him into a hug.

Pulling away, I promised I would come back to him after I had the Avatar. It was my third such crazy plan, concocted entirely on my own as I lowered the raft into the frigid water. When Uncle helped get me onto Zhao's boat, it gave me enough time to think up of this idea. I was still unsure of where the Avatar would be located exactly, but I figured it was something I could work out once I got in there. As the raft touched down onto the ocean, I pulled out my oars and slowly paddled towards the fortress, with only one individual on my mind.

The row to the fortress was a slow and uneventful one, which gave me plenty of time to scout out this place. While there were walls of ice and snow surrounding the interior, I also realized there were potential cracks and holes in the ground. There were animals nearby that dove in and out, and most of them had to come up for air somewhere. Maybe some of them could lead me into the Northern Water Tribe? Parking the raft at a nearby ice shelf, I climbed onto the snow and followed the animals straight into a breathing hole.

I could only hiss as they dove headfirst through the hole, realizing how cold it must be. While a normal person would probably die by swimming through this water, I figured it was something I had to try. Uncle taught me a breath of fire technique that allowed me to stay warm even in cold climates, so maybe I ought to demonstrate it here, huh? Taking a deep breath, I pulled up my clothing as much as I could and threw myself into the hole.

The ice water was like having a hundred blades slicing into my body at once, my skin in numbing pain even through the layers of insulation. I concentrated on activating the breath of fire while trying to propel forward, making slow but steady progress. Uncle, if there was a time when your techniques came in real handy, now was it. Had it not been for him, I would turn into a human icicle right now. Maybe he could thaw me out with his hot tea once he found me?

One passage led to another as I surfaced right in the middle of a herd of Turtle Seals. "Be quiet!" I barked at the honking animals, coughing out two breaths of fire to warm my body up. I rubbed my arms up and down to control my intense shivering, hoping to regain some feeling in my limbs before heading to the next body of water. Judging by the way it was flowing, it most likely led into the city, which used lagoons or canals to travel, rather than roads. Taking another deep breath, I dove through this water, not nearly as cold as the one earlier, and kicked to the top.

Just when I thought I saw the light at the end of this tunnel, there had to be this blasted piece of ice blocking my way. I rapped my fingers against it, but it didn't seem to budge. I could feel my lungs starting to give way, my body running out of air as I tried to punch through. I didn't want to resort to this, as it would sap my energy, but I had to bring in my external fire bending right now. Pressing my palms against the ice, I slowly created flames from my hands, hoping to melt through this confounding plug in the tunnel.

A-ha! Finally, the stubborn ice gave way, turning into a soggy mush as I pushed through the barrier. I dragged my almost lifeless body through the hole, collapsing in this tube-like area and took in deep breaths. I had no idea just how hard it was to push through into the fortress, let alone finding the Avatar here. No wonder this place hadn't been successfully breached by the Fire Nation at all. Apparently, I made another miscalculation, as now I had to spend more time trying to find the Avatar and pulling him out than I originally anticipated. With another factor weighing on my mind, I could only wish things didn't turn out for the worse.


	26. Zuko, Part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Each character grows up with a set of experiences unique to themselves. Watch each person describe what went through their minds and how they changed as they reacted to the world. These are their stories, these are their rites of passage.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: Michael DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko own Avatar.

**Zuko's POV**

The snowstorm showed no signs of stopping as a blanket of white rolled over the landscape. I barely escaped the Spirit Oasis with the Avatar, after a very tough battle with the water tribe girl who always protected him. I admitted that I underestimated the filthy peasant, as her water bending was enhanced by the moon. I spent much of the battle frozen in a block of ice, trying to muster enough heat to thaw myself out. Luckily, the sun rose just in time, giving me back my fire bending and getting a good retaliation shot on her that knocked her out. With the Avatar in some form of meditation that paralyzed his body, the boy was easy picking for me.

I turned back at the Avatar, who I stashed with me in this cave. "I finally have you, but I can't get you home because of this blizzard," I hissed, breathing fire over my hands and rubbing them for warmth. It was almost too easy how I just plucked him from the oasis and brought him with me, given how well he eluded capture in the past. As soon as this blizzard cleared up, it would be a one-way street all the way to the Fire Nation capital, where my father would receive me with open arms. But until then, I was stuck here with this confounding boy.

And the more I observed the seemingly asleep Avatar, the more I resented the way things turned out throughout my trip. "You're like my sister. Everything always came easy for her. She's a fire bending prodigy, and everyone adores her," I spat, recalling how Azula was always the one to get whatever she wanted. Just like the Avatar, who always found some way of getting away from me, and in the process making me look bad. "My father says she was born lucky, he says I was lucky to be born. I don't need luck though, I don't want it." Years of being in exile taught me never to rely on things I couldn't control. Out here, I created my own destiny, and it made me who I was today: a strong warrior ready to take on any challenge.

But no strong warrior was dumb enough to tackle this snowstorm, which showed no signs of stopping. I wasn't too keen on freezing to death, so the only choice I had was to wait it out. "Guess we'll be here for a while," I muttered, watching the boy breathing tranquilly. I had no idea how the Siege at the North Pole was going at this time, as Uncle promised to watch Zhao the entire time to ensure he didn't intercept me. With all those water benders, I was sure Zhao would stay busy. But with his fire bending army, I wasn't sure for how long.

Suddenly, a bright light flashed through the sky, catching my attention as it descended onto our cave and into the Avatar. It didn't take long for the boy to wake up, leaving me with another situation in my hands. "Welcome back," I snarled, realizing he would make another attempt to escape again. Well, at least the storm would slow him down, right?

"It's good to be back," the Avatar retorted, his tone sounding as arrogant as Zhao. Before I could react, the bald kid blew a huge gust of air straight at me, sending me into the deeper parts of the cave while he was propelled out. I didn't know how he did it, but there he was, trying to make another escape. Uncle was right yet again when he told me I had to use a tightly woven net. It was funny how his confusing words always ended up being right.

But there was no confusion as to what had to be done. I hurried out into the snowstorm going after that kid. Luckily for me, I managed to tie him up during the time I was in the cave, so there wasn't going to be an easy escape. As he struggled to gain any ground, I made up the distance with ease. "That won't be enough," I growled, pulling him up from the snow.

Yet another factor I didn't expect came into play. The Avatar's bison flew into view, with his loyal water tribe supporters sitting in the saddle. The little peasant girl didn't waste any time blasting snow my way. I was sent for the ride of my life before getting slammed to the ground, the impact so hard that I lost consciousness. Maybe she wasn't kidding when she said this wasn't much of a rematch for her.

By the time I was awake, I found myself at the oasis again. I was to the side, watching the oh-so-condescending Admiral Zhao face off against the Avatar. "He's right, Zhao," Uncle's very familiar voice cut into the conversation. I found out from Uncle before I left the ship that Zhao wanted to attack the Moon Spirit, who gave up its immortality to live among humans. Seeing Zhao hold up a squirming bag, I figured Zhao must have captured it already. "We all depend on the balance. Whatever you do to that spirit, I will unleash on you tenfold! Let it go now!"

Zhao seemingly relented, releasing the fish back into the pond. But his famous temper soon got the best of him as he sliced into the water with a fire blade. Instantly, the moon grew dark and Uncle went on the offensive, blasting Zhao's men all over the place. The coward, to no one's surprise, slipped out of the oasis unnoticed, but I wasn't about to let him off the hook. For trying to hijack my ship earlier, he was about to pay. I slipped out from the bushes and followed him, hoping to catch this disgusting human being at an isolated spot.

I caught up with the scum of the earth in an isolated bridge, right in the midst of total chaos, thanks to some weird humanoid fish monster that was terrorizing our soldiers. Koizilla was the least of my concerns right now as I unleashed my fire on Zhao, who was surprised that I was still alive. Zhao, you were surprised that not only had I bested you in an Agni Kai, you were also surprised when I pursued the Avatar as hard as you did, to the point where I could infiltrate your fortress and freed him. So to see you go down in defeat now, it wasn't a surprise at all.

"You're the Blue Spirit, an enemy of the Fire Nation," Zhao hissed, glaring at me as I continued my assault. He ought to have known that I had no choice but to catch the Avatar, so the fact that he got his hands onto my search from the first day was wrong to begin with. As we continued sparring, I could spot from the corner of my eye that Koizilla now out at sea. "You could have chosen to accept your failure, and that you're a disgrace. At least, you could have lived."

The battle continued raging on, but I could tell I was gaining the upper hand. Again, I had to make sure I thanked Uncle. My basic techniques gave me the balance of going offensive while pulling back and guarding defensively. Zhao's random fury was going nowhere, as he was soon wearing himself out. After a series of quick blasts, the admiral was on his back again.

Just then, Zhao's attention was diverted to the skies, which seemingly became brighter. "It can't be," he roared, pointing at the moon. I was surprised at how the moon relit itself as well, but didn't bring much attention to it. Uncle always said that the spirits had powers that humans weren't able to understand, so perhaps there was another source of spiritual energy that provided it light again. Now, with water benders at an advantage, I had to get out of here quick.

Just then, a hand-like object shot from the water, taking Zhao into its clutches. I was guessing Koizilla was done displaying its fury, and now wanted some payback from Zhao for trying to kill its mate. I managed to roll out of the way, but seeing Zhao struggle to free himself was too much for me. The very least I could do was give him a fair chance before we continued our duel. Climbing onto the railing, I reached out at him. "Grab my hand," I shouted, hoping he would notice.

But Zhao's ego was bigger than anyone anticipated. Not only did he refused to hold onto me, he pulled his hand back and continued glaring at me. I wasn't sure how to feel as he disappeared into the depths below, never to be seen again. Part of me felt guilty that I didn't do more to help Zhao, but another part of me felt relief as this hated man was no longer part of my life. I stood there in paralyzed confusion, watching the strangely-coloured blob slowly fade away, leaving the water in a peaceful sway again.

Whatever the case, I felt fatigue wash over me. I managed to rendezvous with Uncle, returning to a small boat. We didn't say much to each other, just trying to get out of the North Pole as quickly as possible. The Fire Nation navy was decimated beyond belief by that spiritual attack, and there was no doubt in my mind that my father would be furious. I was quite angry at myself too, as I no longer had my ship, and the Avatar was still on the loose. Somehow, I had a feeling that things were not about to get better any time soon.

________________________________________

**Iroh's POV**

"We're going home! After three long years, it's unbelievable!" Zuko exclaimed as he paced behind me in this resort hut. After the failed siege, we ended up coming to this resort at the border between the Fire Nation and the Earth Kingdom. It gave us a chance to relax ourselves and lose the tension that persisted for the past few months when we pursued the Avatar. I even collected a bunch of seashells for my personal decoration. Wasn't it great?

But Zuko seemed to have other things on his mind, as his sister Azula showed up today. I always had reservations about my niece, who happened to be my brother's favourite. Her usually deceiving and manipulating nature and relative ease in using blackmail and intimidation as ways of getting what she wanted made me feel uncomfortable around her. After all, she was there when Zuko was burned by Ozai, and from what I heard, she enjoyed seeing her brother getting defeated. Was that a way to treat a sibling? Even though Ozai and I didn't get along all the time, I never wished any harm upon him. Where on earth did she learn such a thing?

"It is unbelievable. I have never known my brother to regret anything," I replied to Zuko. It was one of the most unusual stories ever when Azula informed us that Ozai was regretting his decision to banish Zuko. Claiming that there were assassination plots around the capital city, Azula told us Ozai wanted all direct family members, people he could trust, by his side. I still recalled the day Ozai announced he was sending Zuko into exile, his smug tone resonating to us all as he marched off, not even casting a glance at his son as his decision became final. With so much conviction behind that proclamation, why the sudden change?

But Zuko would have none of that, too excited at the prospects of returning to the Fire Nation to think about it. "He cares about me!" Zuko insisted, refusing to back down from his case. It was times like this that I felt Zuko ought to be more careful in believing what someone told him. Had he forgotten how his sister treated him in the past?

"I care about you!" I retorted, before realizing that I unnaturally raised my voice. I immediately excused myself, realizing it wasn't right to yell at the one I cared most about. "If Ozai wants you back, it may not be for the reasons you imagined," I stated. Judging by Azula's tone earlier, she quickly cut off anything I said, almost like she wanted Zuko to trust her on the spot, despite their acrimonious relationship. There must be something up her sleeve. "In our family, things are not always what they seem," I reminded him.

Then, in the biggest blow-up I had seen from Zuko in the last year or so, my nephew unleashed a tirade on me. "I think you are exactly what you seem: a lazy, mistrustful, shallow old man who has always been jealous of his brother!" he shouted before storming off. I didn't expect that explosion, but looking back at my statement, I might be better off biting my tongue.

We didn't speak to each other for the rest of the night, the comment stinging so much for both of us that it was best to give it time. I probably misjudged the situation by questioning Ozai that quickly. Even though Zuko was banished by my brother, he still had a lot of trust and respect for his father, and would stay loyal to Ozai despite the incident. Given that Ozai never really loved Zuko and paid attention to him the way he did to Azula, it would only be naturally that Zuko was a bit jealous, and would get defensive should anyone try to convince him of abandoning Ozai. Azula's attitude when she arrived today didn't help either, as her condescending tone would make even the calmest people get flustered. Perhaps, if I had been more patient, I might not have shown my suspicion to Zuko that early.

At the same time, I was having increasing difficulty with Zuko's attitude, especially in terms of how he always seemed to let his emotions cloud his judgment. I didn't know if Zuko was aware of this, but his current state of mind was anything but peaceful. Not only would this affect his bending skills, it would ultimately lead to a degeneration of his life skills. Did he really think he could make it as a Fire Lord by playing it with his emotions alone? There was a specific strategy to getting forward in both running a country and running one's life, and I felt Zuko still hadn't found that balance yet. Hopefully, in the near future, Zuko could take some time to look inside himself, and realized what he had to do to make these changes. Returning home or not, I felt it would be a big boost in the way he handled world affairs, if he at least reflected upon that.

By the time morning came, I made a fateful decision. I was going to follow Zuko along to the Fire Nation, assuming Azula really had intention to take us both home. That way, I could keep my eye on Zuko, and could still protect him should he be caught off guard. Azula was way too cunning of a character to leave my nephew alone with, and it was only right I backed him up when we approached the boat. Throwing my stuff together in a hurry, I raced down the steps, going as fast as my rather large body could take me, all the while yelling at Zuko to wait up. "Don't leave without me," I called, waving at Zuko, "Family sticks together, right?"

Zuko was still overjoyed as he approached the pier, taking his strides with almost a bounce in every step. On the other hand, I kept a wary eye on the Fire Nation guards lining either side of the dock. They all had masks on, making it very difficult to read their faces or expressions. It wasn't unusual to have a line of guards like this, especially when VIP's were being received at the Fire Nation, but their formation was peculiar. The way they posed, with the spears held high and almost tilting forward, it seemed like they were ready to attack. Keeping that in the back of my mind, I slowly followed my nephew up the ramp.

Azula greeted us and ordered the captain to set course for home. I didn't pay too much attention to Azula's fluffy speech, focusing on the soldiers behind me instead as they suddenly lined up behind Zuko and me. Usually they would only board after the VIP's went into the hold, so why would they line up to follow us when we hadn't even made our first step up that ramp? There must be something going on here...

The beans were spilt as a slip of the tongue from the captain revealed that Zuko and I weren't VIP's, but prisoners. I immediately launched into an attack at the guards behind me, pushing them off the ramp and holding them back while Zuko took on Azula. I didn't think my nephew had the skill to take out Azula, who had been trained in the highest forms of fire bending since a young age. I could only hope that I took out these guards quickly enough so I could help him. Roast duck certainly sounded good, but roast Zuko definitely didn't!

By the time I took care of most of the guards, I could tell Zuko wasn't faring well on the ship. I stepped on board to see Azula shoving Zuko down a flight of stairs, clearly toying with him over his lack of skills. But before I could even approach Zuko, I heard some sizzling sound coming from Azula, and saw a horrifying sight. Lightning was crackling from Azula's fingers, which were aiming at Zuko. I knew the ability of controlling electricity was the highest form of fire bending, but even I took years of practice before getting it right. Now, to have someone still in her teens mastering and using it, on her own brother nonetheless, this was truly scary. If this didn't prove to Zuko that Azula was a bloodthirsty fighter, then nothing would.

But first, I had to protect my nephew, who was about to be shot through with this tremendous amount of energy. Azula and Ozai didn't know it, but lightning generation also gave me an idea. Taking something from the water benders, I created a technique of my own which could redirect lightning, taking this deadly power and shooting it somewhere safe. Lunging out at Azula, I gripped onto her fingers just as she was about to release.

I could feel the energy surging through my body as I reached out in the opposite direction and onto the cliffs overhanging the port. Aiming at the rocks, I blasted the lightning that way, hoping to hit an area with few people around. With a swift spin and a hard kick, Azula soon hit the water, giving Zuko and me enough time to re-gather ourselves and escaped. This was by far the most dangerous situation we had gotten into, and I doubted it would end soon.

We raced along the riverbank, going deeper into the woods and only pausing to rest as the dock disappeared from view. Once we settled, I saw Zuko pull out a knife from his pocket, the same knife I got him as a present when I was in Ba Sing Se. I didn't have to ask him at all to figure out what was going on, as he placed the blade to his hair and sliced off his topknot. It saddened me so much to see the one I cared about the most in this state, going from the top as the heir to the throne, to the bottom as a traitor. It was a sequence I wished no one had to go through.

But I could only do what I could to support him, and that meant cutting my own topknot too. After the failed siege, I doubted Ozai would let me off the hook as well, so I might as well be branded a traitor too. I promised myself that I would guide Zuko for the rest of the way, doing whatever I could to encourage his growth and challenged his views on the world. I guessed it was only right that I continued to do so in permanent exile. With the Fire Nation surely on our tails, it would be a long journey as nomads for my nephew and me.

________________________________________

**Zuko's POV**

"I'm...Lee. And this is my uncle, Mushi," I stuttered, trying to think up of aliases for my uncle and me. Our first few days as fugitives didn't go over well, as my uncle started picking up various plants from the nearby forest, claiming he could make tea out of them. I didn't have that much time for enjoying tea, so I left him alone and went fishing. By the time I returned, I found that Uncle picked the wrong plant and ended up getting tea poisoning.

Uncle shot me a death glare, but I ignored that. Mushi was another term for dead body, which was similar to what Uncle looked like right now. There were red patches over his face and chest, and his cheeks were swollen beyond belief. But even in his comical state, Uncle had to retaliate. "My nephew was named after his father, so we just call him Junior," he shot back.

But I never got my chance to take Uncle down, as the young nurse introduced herself to us. "My name is Song. You two could use a good meal. Why don't you stay for dinner?" she suggested just as she finished applying various creams onto Uncle's affected skin, "My mom always makes too much roast duck," she explained in a friendly tone.

Before I even got the chance to reject the offer, Uncle drooled what I considered to be at least a bucket-full of saliva onto the ground. "Where do you live, exactly?" he asked, his hands rubbing his stomach nonstop. Yikes, this was the same person who said we would be persecuted should we stay in the Earth Kingdom. Was he sure he wanted to stay here? But then again, going to the Fire Nation meant dealing with Azula, and that was much scarier. At least I doubted the Earth Kingdom forces would torture us too much, so maybe we could stick around?

Song's house was rather small, but still quite comfortable. Song's mother was a middle-aged woman with a tinge of grey in her hair, and spoke with a sincere gentleness that almost reminded me of my own mother. It was evident that mother and daughter truly cared about one another, something that I never experienced when Mom disappeared. As our meal was served, Song described how she was a refugee before coming here. "When I was a little girl, the Fire Nation raided our farming village. All the men were taken away, and that was the last time I saw my father," Song concluded, tears swelling from her eyes.

I swallowed hard, realizing how similar our stories were. Just like Song, I hadn't seen my mother in a long time, but my father, the present parent, was anything but positive. As if burning my face wasn't enough, now Uncle and I had to be fugitives all because of his decision. Trying to change the topic, I told Song I hadn't seen my father too, as he was fighting in the war. For my purposes, it wasn't an exact lie, as the Fire Lord was supposed to coordinate the war effort. I just didn't tell her what side he was fighting for. Nothing wrong with that, right?

After dinner was over, I decided to sit outside for a while, away from the socializing between Song's mother and Uncle. We were dumped in the middle of nowhere, so survival should be the only thing on our minds. Uncle was still trying to strike up conversations about how he loved nature and what the Earth Kingdom had to offer? Why not ask Song's mother for things that we actually needed? When would this old man finally grow up?

"Can I join you?" A girl's voice snapped my attention away from my thoughts. Song strolled up to my position and sat right next to me. "The Fire Nation has hurt you," she observed, pointing to my scar. She told me that she sympathized with me completely, as somehow she had been through it before. I almost chuckled at that statement, given how Song would never believe it if I told her the true origin of my scar. At least her father wasn't a bloodthirsty monster. Until she got physically and emotionally abused by a loved one, she was in no place to speak.

I cut Song's hand off just before she could reach for my scar, only to be surprised by her bombshell. "It's okay," she soothed, "They hurt me too." She reached for her pant leg and pulled it up, revealing a set of ugly scars, similar to my own, crisscrossing her shin and calf. There was no denying what caused those marks: it had to be a fire bender.

We stayed around for a bit more before Song's mother and Uncle told us it was time to leave. As usual, Uncle had to thank Song's mother for the meal, and Song's mother wrapped up some food for us to take. I appreciated the meal and such, but this was getting ridiculous. Here I was, a Fire Prince, forced to live like a beggar, and thanking those who we knew were inferior to ourselves. Did Uncle have no pride? What happened to the invincible Fire Nation values?

And to make things worse, Uncle made me thank Song's family as well. This was getting humiliating, as I didn't want to associate myself with this garbage. The sooner we got out of here, the better. Quickly bowing to Song and her mother, I hurried out her house, hoping to avoid this place. I didn't need to hear more stories about how this poor Earth Kingdom girl was burned by fire benders or whatever. Even though I did feel sorry for her, I knew even had I told her the truth, she wouldn't feel sorry for me. Given I was the Fire Prince, she would probably laugh and say I deserved to get burned. No point in trying to convince her otherwise, right?

As we slipped past their barn, I eyed their Ostrich Horse. In war, we were told that all was fair, and we certainly were in hostile territory right now. No point in letting that animal stay in this dingy barn, right? "What are you doing?" Uncle hissed as I undid the reins tying the animal to its post, "These people just showed you great kindness."

"They're about to show us a little more kindness," I retorted, beckoning Uncle to get on. The crazy old man was still having doubts, but if he thought he could outrun the Earth Kingdom forces, or worse, my sister, then he was sadly mistaken. At least by using the Ostrich Horse we had a faster and safer way of traveling. Was he still struggling with his morals over this?

Finally, after an eternity, the lazy old man got his rear end on this Ostrich Horse. I didn't even think twice as I urged the animal forward, going back into the dark woods in the middle of the night. I was in the Earth Kingdom as an exile for just a few days, and already I hated it here. Having Song remind me not to lose hope because the Avatar was back didn't make me feel any better, as that goofy kid was part of the reason I ended up this way. I still intended to capture that kid and brought him back to my father, just to prove I wasn't the failure him and Azula portrayed me as. But for now, I was focused on just survival, hoping to last a bit longer in this crazy land.

________________________________________

**Zuko's POV**

"Where are you from then?" the young boy asked curiously as I slammed the nails into this roof. After a few extremely degrading days, I could no longer travel with Uncle. We stopped at an Earth Kingdom town where Uncle was forced to be a beggar, having to sing and dance around like a fool just to earn a few coins. There was no way I could accept that lifestyle, given what we used to be before. Not only were we no longer superior to these dirt loving pigs, now we had to go lower and open ourselves to belittling from them? That couldn't be right!

"Where are you going?" the young boy chimed in again. Unlike Uncle, who took the low way out, I sought to even the score with these filthy peasants by taking their stuff from right under their noses. The swordsman that humiliated Uncle earlier, I went to him as the Blue Spirit and really gave him a good beating. It didn't hurt that I got new broad swords for myself as a result, and I could use those to get us further goods like food, water, and other accessories. We had them stashed in a nearby cave, and I thought we could make it through for at least a good few weeks. It wasn't as comfortable as the Fire Nation palace, but it would pass for now.

But then Uncle had to add in his confusing wisdom. Despite getting somewhat comfy in there, my mind was still on regaining my honour (and Uncle's honour too), and I wasn't too keen on resorting to grovelling for coins. While Uncle might be right in the sense that in the darkest of times, hope was something I gave myself, and the ability to so indicated true strength, I felt there was no more use for us to travel with one another. Uncle might accept this lifestyle, but I didn't, and it was time we parted ways. Separating our belongings, I grabbed the Ostrich Horse and rode off, coming into this desert town in the Earth Kingdom and meeting the boy who interrupted me.

"Lee, give it a rest. Stop asking the man personal questions," the father scolded the son. I had to shake my head as I recalled how Lee and I met. I was in the town buying some food for my Ostrich Horse and me when a few Earth Kingdom soldiers were confronting me, claiming someone had thrown eggs at them. I knew it was Lee who did it, but I didn't want to rat him out. Personally, seeing these earth benders made me sick, and having to be subject to their bullying was absolutely ridiculous to me. Even without the storekeeper telling me, I knew those guys were nothing but thugs. They snatched my Ostrich Horse feed from me and warned me to stay away from their town. Luckily, Lee was kind enough to repay me by inviting me into his home.

"How'd you get that scar?" Lee chimed in again, causing me to miss the nail and hammer my own finger. I nearly exploded in pain as my thumb throbbed uncontrollably. Lee might be a curious kid, but he sure knew how to break people's concentration. Had it not been for his father telling him a man's past was his business, I didn't know when he'd shut up.

As the sun continued dipping into the horizon, I kept thinking back to my own past. When Mom was still alive, I had such a good family. Uncle Iroh was a top general in the Fire Lord's court, Mom was always looking out for me, Azula was at least semi-tolerable (even though she could still act in mean ways), and my childhood friend Mai always visited. At that time, it was like pain and suffering, what I was going through right now, was far away. Even without my father's full approval, I still felt I fit in and belonged in that family.

After a few more repairs, Lee's mother called us in for dinner. Personally, I didn't care that the food wasn't Fire Nation style, or that they used common folk ingredients. Personally, I hadn't eaten a full meal for days now, so anything that was this filling tasted delicious. I didn't say much to their family, merely just trying to listen in half-heartedly. Lee had an older brother named Sensu who was enlisted, along with most other young men in this town, in the Earth Kingdom army to fight the war. Because the efforts were all dedicated to the military, even the town's security was outsourced to Earth Kingdom soldiers. Unfortunately, the ones they got were total scum, mistreating the villagers and abusing their authority. Had I still be the Fire Prince and these were Fire Nation soldiers, I would be sure to have them all suspended. For the Fire Nation, everyone supported the war effort, and military and civilians fought side-by-side. How could these guys say they're the kingdom's finest if they didn't respect their own people?

Lee didn't have an extra room in his house, so I ended up going to sleep at their barn. But it was anything but a good sleep, as Lee had to sneak in and steal my swords, hoping to use them for his sparring. I nearly chuckled when I crept up behind him, seeing him swing and miss at his plants and stabbing a wooden pole almost aimlessly. I felt my older sibling side take over as I offered to teach him how to do it right. Personally, I had Lu Ten to thank for that, as my cousin was kind enough to treat me like a real sibling, unlike Azula. Just like how Lu Ten showed me all these fighting skills, I was passing them on to Lee. Even though I still felt earth benders were inferior to our country, I somehow found myself more willing to get along with them. Maybe, just maybe, there were more in common with our countries than originally thought.

By the time morning came, I had to move on. I stayed long enough in this family's home, and it was time I got out of here before the Earth Kingdom thugs spotted me. Luckily, Lee's mother was kind enough to pack me some food for my travels, but I barely took another step out the door before the said Earth Kingdom security forces arrived at the farm. Taunting Lee's whole family, they announced in the most arrogant tone that Sensu's battalion had been captured, and that the Fire Nation would be subjecting them to torture. My blood boiled just hearing that, not just because I knew for a fact that my army didn't torture people, but also at the nasty way they treated Lee's parents. If the capture was indeed true, then it was very likely Lee wouldn't see his brother for a very long time. How could they just continue degrading this family like garbage?

After a few more taunts, I heard enough. Jumping onto my Ostrich Horse, I pulled it into the way, blocking their path to Lee's family. Glaring at the general, I could feel the hot desert wind dying down as the rogues backed off, hurling one more putdown at the family before they scurried away. Had those cowards been facing the real Fire Nation army, they wouldn't be talking so tough. As Lee's mother sobbed at the terrifying news, Lee's father offered to go to the front lines and brought Sensu home. "When my dad goes, will you stay?" Lee asked.

I stuttered at Lee's question. Somehow, this experience mirrored mine so well, as I could still recall how stunned I was when Uncle's letter arrived at the palace. Mom was the one who read it to Azula and me, stating that Lu Ten didn't make it out of Ba Sing Se alive. It wasn't long after that message that Uncle decided to end the siege at the Earth Kingdom capital and returned home. At the moment, I really felt sad for both Uncle and me, as he lost his only son and I lost the one I looked up to, my only role model in the palace. Now that the Lu Ten in Lee's life might be gone forever, and Lee's father heading off to the frontlines to conduct what was most likely a fruitless search, how would Lee cope with the loss all by himself?

Nonetheless, my personal security outweighed my good feelings to Lee. The presence of these Earth Kingdom pigs only meant they would start inquiring about me soon. Staying here for one more day meant getting them in my face, something I dreaded given how I had to hide my identity for the time being. Muttering a quick apology to Lee, I gave him my most treasured possession: the knife Uncle Iroh got for me in Ba Sing Se, the same one him and I used to cut our hair. "Read the inscription," I instructed Lee.

The message to Lee was loud and clear as I rode away from their farm: never give up without a fight. Just like the way things went my entire life, I was forced to fight for everything, including recognition in the eyes of my own father and grandfather. Shortly after the Fire Nation army forfeited Ba Sing Se, my father requested an audience with my grandfather, the then Fire Lord Azulon. While Azula was asked to demonstrate her superior fire bending skills, I wasn't even allowed to leave my seat. Father thought my fire bending was too weak compared to my sister's, and had me reciting history facts instead. I admitted that I was nervous at the time, and might have flubbed a few words. To no one's surprise, Azula had to be a show-off and stated the right ones above my voice, making me lose more face. Had it not been for Mom telling me how proud she was of the way I battled through, I didn't know what I would do.

And comparing that experience to Lee, I realized how much Lee had to fight through now. Shortly after that meeting with my grandfather, I heard scary news from Azula that my father planned to kill me. Azula and I stayed behind in the Fire Lord's chamber after Grandfather told us to leave, and we overheard our father trying to become the new Fire Lord by asking that Uncle Iroh, the then crown prince, be disposed of. Fire Lord Azulon refused, and punished my father on the spot. I was too afraid to watch after that, but Azula then entered my room, taunting me by saying Dad would kill me, literally. I didn't know what happened next, but I ultimately lived to see another morning, but my mother disappeared after that. No one knew what happened to her, and by the time Uncle returned, Father was already Fire Lord.

Speaking of mothers, wasn't that Lee's mother rushing in from behind. I dismounted off of my Ostrich Horse, pulling to the side as a cart rumbled up to me. Apparently, those thugs from the town weren't done with the family, as they returned to the house just as the father left. "When they ordered us to give them food, Lee pulled out a knife on them. I don't even know where he got a knife," Lee's mother described frantically. That was when I realized how stupid I was to leave that blade with him. Perhaps that wasn't the best time to not give up without a fight?

But the most horrifying thing was that the soldiers captured Lee, claiming that if he was old enough to fight, then he was old enough to join the army. That thought sickened me to the stomach, as it only showed these so-called security forces were never in communication with the army at all. While it could still be possible that Sensu had been captured, now I found it was more likely that these brutes fabricated the whole story just to get Lee's father out of the house. With only a woman and a child at home, they could come back and loot the place all they wanted, with no one being able to stop them. Clenching my teeth, I hopped onto my Ostrich Horse and headed for the town, promising the mother that I would bring Lee back safely.

Those disgusting bullies had Lee tied up against a pole, threatening the kid and making him feel intimidated. It was fine time that I showed them what I could do. Dismounting from my Ostrich Horse, I ordered them to let Lee go. "It doesn't matter who I am, but I know who you are. You're not soldiers, you're bullies," I flatly stated, speaking from the minds of probably everyone in this town, "You're freeloaders abusing your power, mostly over women and kids. You don't want Lee in your army. You're sick cowards who want to mess with a family who already lost one son in the war." As I finished, I could feel the sun directly above me, beating down on the land as complete silence smothered the seemingly abandoned town.

Before long, the cowardly leader sent his three minions at me, all of which I dispatched with ease. Those three ran off with their tails between their legs, leaving me with their team lead, a balding man with a beard. I didn't expect it to be an easy fight, and it clearly showed as he immediately got to using earth bending, sending several boulders in my direction. I managed to block the first few shots with ease, but soon enough they came harder and faster. I dodged them as much as I could, using my swords for defensive purposes as well, but soon enough I got several rocks right into my body, sending me straight to the ground.

As I lied on the dirt panting, I did everything I could to prevent fire bending. I wasn't too keen on letting them know of my identity, afraid that they might just hate fire benders more than they hate this despicable group. Although I truly doubted that, given how terribly they treated their own people. It reminded me so much of my grandfather's funeral, when my father became Fire Lord Ozai on the same day. Between the two events, nobody asked a single question as to why my mother was no longer around, nor did they give me any condolences for losing a cousin, a grandfather, and a mother all at once. Everyone started patronizing Dad like there was no tomorrow, and I was lost along the way. That led to the terrible situation today, where my father could do the unthinkable by burning my face and putting me in exile.

Yet as I continued lying in the dirt, I realized every experience that I went through and tried to pass onto Lee made me who I was. I shouldn't be ashamed of my heritage, but instead be proud of it and embraced it as it unfolded. It was true that I had to fight my way through life, and that I suffered countless tragedies. But rather than moping about it, why not turn them into experiences that made me stronger? I was Prince Zuko, I was a fire bender, and I was about to defend this village from this miserable lowlife.

Lifting my swords off the ground, I created a firestorm around me, sending the scum's hammers flying to the side and his body hurtling backwards. I kept whipping up the flames, pushing the arrogant man back until I had enough momentum to create a huge fire blast. With one motion, I sent it towards him, smashing through his rock shield and blasting him right into a pillar, which collapsed onto him and burying half his body. "Who are you?" he sputtered.

Standing tall and proud before him, I unveiled my identity. "My name is Zuko, son of Ursa and Fire Lord Ozai, prince of the Fire Nation and heir to the throne!" I declared, sheathing my swords and observing the crowd that now formed around me. I didn't know what they were thinking, but the nonstop mumbling indicated they probably weren't ready to accept me yet.

Unfortunately, that guess proved accurate as an old man accused me of lying. Turning to everyone, he spat out my every shameful detail, including the burn on my face and how I was disowned by my father. Even as I picked up from the earth bender the knife I gave to Lee, there was no doubt my welcome was truly overstayed. Lee's mother undid the ropes and refused to let me approach her son. The most painful moment was when I offered the knife back to Lee, he pushed me away. "No, I hate you," he spat, turning away in disgust.

That rejection told me it was time to leave, as the villagers were about to turn their blades on me. Frankly speaking, being proud of my identity also meant coming to terms with how I, along with my nation, was viewed in the world. Whether I liked it or not, I was still a banished prince, and my nation did conquer many of their lands. Riding out of the town, I could only think about where the Avatar was, and how I might still be able to regain my honour if I could capture him. It was a harsh dose of reality for me as I departed from this town for good.

But even as the villagers all stared at me in spite, for one night I felt like I fit in. I felt Lee was really interested in hearing about me, and I felt obliged, for whatever reason, to serve as his big brother for a while. Maybe it was because I had time to understand him, and tried to walk in his shoes, rather than remained in the perspective of the Fire Prince. Maybe intermingling with commoners wasn't a bad thing, as Lee showed me how regular folks went through life. Even though I couldn't do anything more than resume my search for the Avatar, at least I gained some insight into their lives that I never realized before. I would always remember what Lee brought to me, and for the rest of my travels in the Earth Kingdom, that was the alias I would go by.

________________________________________

**Zuko’s POV**

"There's energy all around us, and the energy is both yin and yang." Uncle's words resonated in my mind as we stood on a hillside overlooking a beautiful scene in the Earth Kingdom. It was only a few days after Azula's attack on Uncle, leaving him burned and wounded. While Uncle was far from a complete recovery, he was at least healthy enough to move around without assistance. But for me, just the fact that he was alive, serving tea and joking around, that was reward enough.

But Uncle and I were both convinced that it was time to go into a bit more detail over bending, especially after what we saw Azula do. By generating lightning back at the dock, and shooting out flames of such ferocity at the ghost town, it was evident that she had mastery over fire bending. Though Uncle probably had the skill to take her on, I just couldn't rely on him all the time, especially after this injury. Given the sudden reprieve, now was the time to truly discuss the techniques that Uncle researched in the past.

"Only a select few fire benders can separate these energies," Uncle continued, explaining how yin, the positive, and yang, the negative, could be used to our advantage in any battle. My mind was still quite flustered, as no one throughout my childhood years had truly discussed these theories with me before. But even as Uncle's words jumbled together, I could make out some information. The notion that positive and negative were always trying to create a balance could eventually spark a release of the energies, which in result could create a powerful attack like lightning.

I took a step back as Uncle got into position, waving his arms around to harness the energy within. Before long, blue sparks sizzled around his body as electricity soon surrounded him. My jaw dropped in amazement, shocked to see the sheer power that he now had in his hands. Uncle was a truly gifted individual, not only in battle, but also in teaching. He was never one to be impatient, taunting my lack of experience or skill like my sister. And even when approaching a new technique, he made sure to go slow, letting me at least understand the background before proceeding. I never really got much of a chance to attend one of Uncle's lessons to Lu Ten, having only been a spectator sitting in the distance. But now, to train under the best instructor ever, it was truly an honour.

Uncle relaxed his pose as his lightning bolt flared into the skies, lighting up the surrounding area in a light blue hue. "Remember, once you separate the energy, you do not command it," he reminded me, "you are simply its humble guide. Breathe first."

I inhaled deeply, clearing my mind of any stray thoughts. I only kept the image of Uncle swinging his arms around as I mimicked his every gesture. I didn't have to be reminded of the many times I tried to show my parents new fire bending techniques, only to fail miserably or be outperformed by Azula. While my mother would encourage me to try harder, my father would only snort and dismiss me, branding me as the useless one. Now, with my mother gone, Uncle was the only one who still appreciated my efforts, and I was determined not to let him down. Increasing my energy, I prepared to let it loose.

What was supposed to be lightning became an explosion, rocking the land before me and sending debris all over. But the worst part was that I didn't expect this reaction, and that ended up throwing me backwards, slamming rear-first onto the rocky ground. Instantly, an unimaginable amount of pain seared through my body, shaking me to my core as I struggled to stay conscious. Things were not going as planned.

Undaunted, I got up to try it again. I went through each step methodically, hoping to make sure I followed Uncle's every procedure. But every single time I tried it, the result was the same: a huge explosion that knocked me backwards. Uncle was now away from the scene, taking a seat at the abandoned house we took refuge in, just a few metres away. He didn't say a single thing to me, but I could tell by his slouched posture and glum face that he was disappointed. Although I hated to admit it, I failed again.

"Why can't I do it? Instead of lightning, it keeps exploding in my face!" I roared in frustration, "like everything always does," I added. Right now, it felt like the entire world was piling onto my misery, not willing to stop until I was completely beaten and broken. Was there really nothing that I could do successfully? Maybe I ought to place a loser sign on my back and sulked in the corner, as at least it wouldn't be as humiliating.

That was when Uncle marched up to me, and suggested that I must deal with the turmoil inside of me before I could master lightning. "You must let go of your feelings of shame before your anger can go away," he described, his posture casual and his tone calm and patient, "true humility is the only antidote to shame."

I bit my lower lip, realizing I was sincerely humbled by the sheer number of nasty turns in my life recently. Not too many individuals could go from royalty, to banishment, to being a fugitive all in a month. "I have another idea," Uncle continued, "I will teach you a fire bending move that even Azula doesn't know, because I made it up myself." He announced proudly as he placed a hand on my shoulder.

I couldn't help but crack a small smile as Uncle and I sat down onto the sandy ground. Picking up a stick, Uncle drew a few symbols, explaining the significance of each one. "Fire is the element of power," he began with our own culture, "the people of the Fire Nation have desire and will, and the energy and drive to achieve what they want." He then went on to the other cultures, claiming that earth represented substance, with a persistent and stubborn nature. Air was freedom, and was a relatively peaceful culture. I listened on intently, hoping to cash in on this valuable knowledge. I had never attended any classes on other cultures before, given that throughout my school years, all I had been told was that our nation was the greatest and the rest were inferior. So, for such a seasoned man who immersed himself in other cultures for so long, I was grateful Uncle was willing to share this knowledge with me.

But my eyes focused harder when Uncle got to water, which he described as an element of change. Water benders could adapt to any environment that surrounded them, and tended to change together as a group. "It is important to draw wisdom from many difference places. If you only take it from one place, then you become rigid and stale. Understanding others would help you become whole," he lectured me.

Hearing that, I couldn't help but compare Uncle's lecture to the Avatar. Was it because of the requirements to learn all four elements that made the Avatar so strong? But Uncle soon addressed my point, as he told me I ought to think like the Avatar. "It can make you more powerful too. You see, the technique I'm about to teach you is one I learned by studying the water benders," he revealed with a twinkle in his eye.

My mind raced with excitement as we got up and into a slightly crouched stance. Now I truly realized why keeping an open mind was so important, as we could find out more about other cultures that we could adapt into our own systems. Whatever trust I lost in Uncle when I first left him was regained instantly as he went through the basic steps with me, asking me to follow his moves as he instructed me on energy flow. "A water bender lets their defence become their offence, turning their opponents' energy against them. I learned a way to do this with lightning."

I looked on intently, my eyes never leaving Uncle's hands as he pointed out various parts of his body that were crucial in the successful execution of this move. "If you let the energy in your own body flow, the lightning will follow it," he spoke while gesturing at once. I saw him point one hand in the air, claiming that energy must go into the fingertip, through the arm and shoulder, and ended in the abdomen. "The stomach is called the sea of chi. In my case, it's a vast ocean of chi!" He exclaimed with a laugh.

I gave a little grin, surprised that Uncle could joke around even in these times. While I was still bitter about how easily he accepted life as a lowly beggar, part of me was impressed at how quick he turned it around. I still didn't completely buy his speech about how I had to make chances out of nothing even when the entire world was against me, but at least I was willing to see things from his perspective. Focusing back on Uncle, he showed me how, through his stomach, he could direct the lightning into his other arm and into the opposite direction. "You must not let the lightning pass through your heart, because the damage then could be deadly," he warned me.

"Well, looks like that's one activity the kids shouldn't try at home," I thought to myself. Despite the sarcastic reaction, I was amazed that Uncle could actually garner all his experiences and come up with a technique all by himself. It was truly unbelievable, and perhaps it was the much-needed medicine I was lacking for now. Even in my three years of exile, I never truly appreciated the different lands I visited. In Uncle, who had been to all sorts of places and took in all sorts of sights, I now knew what an amazing individual he was. All that time, and even now, I was blinded by my bitterness to accept the different things that other cultures had to offer.

But Uncle, he enjoyed every second of it, interacting with others and trying to help me along the way. Maybe he was just like me in the past, where his determination to bring pride to the Fire Nation superseded everything else. But for today, he behaved like the very man I respected: wise and knowledgeable, friendly and affable, stern but patient, and a person I truly looked up to. He had always said that his experiences in the Earth Kingdom, particularly during the war, changed him. Perhaps this was what he meant?

And for the next few hours, we stood near the edge of the cliff just swaying back and forth, our arms moving in unison and our fingers alternating the direction to which they pointed. There wasn't much progress in terms of advancing the technique, but it was the time with Uncle that I treasured the most. Not only did my respect for him return, so did some of my hope that we would get out of this mess. Somehow, I knew Uncle could come through with something, given his vast knowledge. Maybe he had something else up his sleeve that I wasn't aware of yet? I couldn't say for sure, but for now, I was intent to master this technique so that I could fight another day.

________________________________________

**Zuko's POV**

"Uncle, we have a problem," I hissed, placing down my tea tray on the table beside my now-completely healthy relative. We soon found out that not only were the Fire Nation troops after us, but also a couple of Earth Kingdom bounty hunters wishing to collect the reward Azula placed on our heads. Luckily, Uncle took us into an outpost town at the desert, where he had a reunion with some old friends of his. Apparently, Uncle was part of an ancient secret society that transcended all borders, and they communicated their presence via Pai Sho tiles. And I got so furious at him a few months back when Uncle lost his Pai Sho tile and insisted we docked at the nearest town to get it back. Who would have thought it came in handy here?

And rescued us it did, as it allowed us to obtain fake passports to board the ferry heading for Ba Sing Se, the Earth Kingdom capital that Uncle made his biggest military move, but failed and lost Lu Ten in the process. To allow us to blend in, Uncle got us jobs at a local tea shop, all the while searching for an apartment to stay in for the long-term. Aside from some fanatical guy who originally wanted to recruit me into some crazy vigilante group called the Freedom Fighters, things were relatively peaceful. Was it because I refused that he made public accusations that I was Fire Nation, or did my cover get blown? If it was the latter, then I blamed Uncle for fire bending in public. Couldn't he just gulp down the cold tea rather than risk us being arrested?

Fortunately for me, it was that guy, Jet, who got arrested, and Uncle and I kept our jobs for the moment. But somehow, I kept getting paranoid about people acting suspiciously around us, especially that girl in the corner. She kept passing weird glances at me, that strange twinkle in her eye hinting that perhaps we ought to be more careful with our actions. "Didn't I say don't look?" I whispered harshly, grabbing my uncle's elbow and turning his gaze away from her.

But Uncle then unleashed a bombshell when he revealed the reason why that girl eyed me in such an unusual fashion. "Seems to me she has quite a little crush on you," he replied, a grin larger and slier than any he had ever put on. Luckily, I already placed my tray down, or else my salary of this month would be used to repay all the broken cups and plates.

And speak of the devil, here was the girl, paying me for the tea and putting on a smile that matched Uncle's in deviousness. We finally got around to introducing ourselves, in which I just told her my alias, Lee, and that my uncle and I moved here not long ago. "My name's Jin," she responded, "I was wondering if you would like to go out some time." There was an indirect directness to her question, her eyes glancing to the side while her words flowed smoothly out of her mouth. It got quite uncomfortable to be standing in such close quarters with her, and suddenly I felt myself sweating up a storm underneath these Earth Kingdom clothes.

Before I could even blink, Uncle accepted the offer for me. "Great, I'll meet you in front of the shop at sundown," Jin agreed, turning around and literally skipping out of the shop. I could only glare at the squat, balding man who now placed his arm around my shoulder. Promising me to a date that I was totally unprepared for, how embarrassing could this get?

For some reason, Uncle managed to wrestle me into what was supposedly the latest teen fashion in Ba Sing Se, and fixed my hair into the stiffest formation it could ever get into. Even though we weren't in the Fire Nation anymore, I still preferred my fair to be looser and easier-flowing. Besides, I doubted even earth benders went around town with that type of hairstyle. So with my body stiffer than a board, I limped out of the shop at sundown, looking around for Jin like a fool. Just don't take me into any well-lit areas, or people might die of laughter.

"Look at you," Jin's voice nearly shocked me into collapsing. Within seconds, her hands were all over my hair, swishing it back and forth and bringing it back to the style I had worn it since my banishment. Well, at least I looked a bit more normal, right? I just tried to dip my head and not draw any attention to myself, even as Jin pulled me into a nearby restaurant. I nearly buried my face in the menu, hoping everyone around me would just disappear. Seriously, I hadn't been this embarrassed since that time Azula tried to shoot fire at Mai's head, leading me to rescuing her, and in turn having us both fall face-first into the water.

Jin did all the ordering of food for us while I mulled in my thoughts. The image of Mai and I in the water brought back so many memories of my youth, back to the time when we were in a nearly perfect world. I still yearned for those days where I could be with my friends, and did what most kids in the Fire Nation would do. But now, with our settlement into Ba Sing Se, it was doubtful that Uncle and I could ever go home, given our status as fugitives. This was the last stronghold for the Earth Kingdom, one that was impossible to penetrate. If even Uncle couldn't break through the walls, then I doubted anyone else could. In an ironic way, it was kind of like I wished the Earth Kingdom would never lose to the Fire Nation, just to keep myself safe.

But while the Earth Kingdom was protecting me, it was also making my stay here more humiliating by the second. It seemed like everyone around us though we were an item, calling us boyfriend and girlfriend even though I barely knew her. "She's not my girlfriend!" I roared at the waiter who made another such reference as he offered us dessert. Well, at least that got the crowd quiet. What about Jin, who was too busy scarfing down her noodles to even notice?

If things didn't get uncomfortable before, it sure did now as Jin started bombarding me with questions about my past. Racking my brain, I came up with the most ridiculous story of how Uncle and I were part of this traveling circus. We recently left to group and decided to settle in Ba Sing Se, and that was how I met her. I was even crazy enough to agree with Jin when she thought I did juggling. So when she requested that I showed her, I could only swallow hard. Feeling my blood draining away from my face, I wondered what mess I got myself into this time?

But for some reason, I felt compelled to show her. It wasn't just because I had to do whatever it took to cover my identity. Part of me really wanted to lighten the mood, given how we were struggling to make any conversation all night. Even though every part of my body told me I was crazy, I felt my arms lifting as Jin shoved several items into my hands, tossing the objects into the air. What was I thinking? There was no way I could balance those things!

Soon enough, the beans were spilled, literally. The sauces and other food items those bowls and plates once contained came pouring down onto my head. I felt my face flush hotter than the largest flames as Jin stared at me with one hand covering her mouth. "I haven't practiced for a while," I muttered, grabbing a towel to wipe off my face. Well, it was true that I hadn't rehearsed my fire bending skills, so maybe Jin would buy that excuse?

I dodged another shot as Jin was perfectly accepting of that, offering to show me her favourite part of the city after dinner. I dropped some coins onto the table and took off with her, trying to get as far away from those gawking eyes as possible. Racing through the dark streets, Jin told me of a fountain that had lights being lit at this time, describing the reflections of the lights in the water made for a really beautiful scene. Again, it reminded me so much of home, when I got to see these lights on a daily basis as I watched sunrise and sunset from different rooms in the palace. And unlike Ba Sing Se, which had to use lamps, my scenes were completely natural and occurred twice a day. What was so special about this fountain?

"I can't believe it! They aren't lit!" Jin's disappointed tone echoed into my ears. I lifted my head just in time to see the darkened scene before me, each lamp pitch black as Jin's head dipped low. I was just as shocked as Jin, not because of the lack of colours, but because how upset Jin was upon viewing this. It might be a simple pleasure for me to see some stupid lights, but apparently it had aesthetic value to this Earth Kingdom girl. Apparently, the Earth Kingdom had its fair share of problems with prosperity, as only those in the nobility realm had access to exciting entertainment. Those not from the highest class, such as Jin, were reduced to seeing nothing more than a fountain and some boring lamps.

It also brought me back to my own humbling experience, having been taken from the top of the world to the bottom rung of the ladder. Nobody expected me to fall that far down that quickly, but that was where I found myself. I suddenly gained a new sense of appreciation for the world around me, realizing that not everyone could afford to live the same way. But more importantly, life's most treasured things weren't anything that money could buy. It didn't matter whether I was a Fire Prince or a refugee. No matter who I was, I still had a chance to see this special lightshow. And today, I was about to see it with this girl from the not-so-noble class in Ba Sing Se. Making sure no one was watching, I decided to give Jin a present that I bet she would never forget. "Close your eyes, and don't peek," I instructed, stepping up to the lamps.

Taking a deep breath, I shot small fire blasts out each hand, reducing them to just short bursts from my fingers. My body flowed with the gentle night breeze as I went around the formation, getting each lamp before working my magic on the fountain. Jin and I came all the way here just to see this spectacle, and I didn't want her to leave disappointed. Maybe I was crazy like Uncle, and wasn't afraid to show my fire bending in public. But for today, my goal was to make this girl happy, and hopefully, by doing this, I would succeed.

When I told Jin to uncover her eyes, I could literally feel the excitement in her. "How did they light?" Jin stuttered, taking almost reluctant steps towards me. I didn't say anything, but just watching the look in her eyes was more than rewarding for me. Throughout my life, I had plenty of trouble grasping happiness, let alone spreading happiness to others. But today, after making this girl's wish come true, I realized how happy it made me feel. Uncle always said he wanted to do positive things for others around him, so maybe this was me finally learning his ways.

Suddenly, I felt Jin's fingers coil around mine, pulling me closer to her. I could literally feel her breathing as her face became the only thing in my vision. I wasn't comfortable enough with her to let her kiss me, so luckily I brought out a coupon for the tea shop. I whipped it up and lodged it right between our faces, blocking her lips from reaching mine. "It was my uncle's idea. He thinks you're our most valuable customer," I stated, buying enough time to back away.

But me backing down meant Jin headed forward, thanking me for the coupon and telling me how great of a teacher my uncle was. "I have something for you too," she offered, wearing the same sly smile she showed when I first noticed her. Pushing my face into hers, she suggested, "Now it's your turn to close your eyes." With her right up in my face, could I possibly refuse?

Yet deep down, I still didn't feel it was right. My senses came rushing straight to me just as Jin's lips approached mine. Even though I was thankful for the great experience with Jin, I still had a lot to deal with in my life. Liked it or not, I was Fire Nation royalty, and should be dating at least members from Fire Nation nobility, not some Earth Kingdom girl from the lower peasant class. Moreover, even if Jin was royalty, she was from the Earth Kingdom, and anyone from the Fire Nation marrying this inferior group would be unheard of. Maybe it was my pride being overly stubborn and refusing to leave me even though I left the Fire Nation, but I just couldn't bring myself to accept her kiss. Pulling away, I merely told Jin, "It's complicated."

Thanking Jin for the wonderful night, I took off from the fountain, too flustered to even escort Jin back to her house. Right now, I just wanted to wipe the memory of me wanting to kiss this Earth Kingdom peasant away, even though I did truly enjoy her company. I didn't even bother to greet Uncle as I came back to the apartment. "How was your night, Prince Zuko?" he asked just as I rumbled through. I didn't even answer, merely charging into my room and slamming the doors with a thud. I had to be back in my comfort zone before doing any more.

Finally, by the time I could breathe again, I slid the door open, and told Uncle my night was very nice, before retiring for bed. This experience with Jin somehow only made my mind more confused. I found not only nationalities, but even statuses, being blurred more and more. Was Uncle truly correct when he said that only by exposing ourselves to all groups would we make ourselves stronger? Whatever the case, it wasn't something I should focus on for now. I had to rest up before tomorrow's work, ready for another long day of serving tea to the guests.

________________________________________

**Zuko's POV**

"So, the Blue Spirit," Uncle's familiar voice echoed through the walls of this dark, damp chamber underneath Lake Laogai, a body of water just outside Ba Sing Se. It was the most unlikely of situations, but we managed to get ourselves into the capital of the Earth Kingdom via a secret society Uncle was a member of. Believe it or not, it was his Pai Sho tiles that led the way, and I felt a strange sense of irony in the sense that an item of such little importance in my eyes became our saviour.

But while Uncle was enjoying life as a tea server in Ba Sing Se, my mind was still on my honour. I knew the Avatar was on the loose after that battle in the deserted town, and it didn't help that Uncle was shot by Azula. But either way, Uncle's method of using a lotus tile to save us was truly remarkable, and I was (yet again) grateful for what he did. But for now, I had a perfect chance to take the initiative, as in this secret chamber I found the Avatar's Sky Bison, and could use it as leverage against the air bending boy.

"I wonder who could be behind that mask," Uncle continued his inquisitive yet sarcastic interrogation. I could only sigh as I realized my cover was blown. I found it so ironic that Uncle was at the very city where he lost his honour, but yet he was in no hurry to regain it. Whereas for me, the only reason I was in Ba Sing Se was because I already lost my honour, and now was a chance to regain it. What was Uncle possibly thinking with such a nonchalant attitude? Did he care more about his tea shop than my honour?

With the Avatar's bison still grunting and stomping behind me, I pulled off my mask. "What are you doing here?" I asked in defeat. Sometimes, there was no hiding from Uncle. His strong bond to me meant he could read my every move, which didn't bode well for me, since I intended this bison kidnapping to be a secret mission.

"I was just about to ask you the same thing," Uncle replied, his tone stern and serious, "what do you plan to do now that you've found the Avatar's bison? Keep it locked in our new apartment? Should I go put on a pot of tea for him?" The echoes of his voice off the walls signalled to me that he was none-too-impressed by my action, and only served to belittle me more. Couldn't I do anything I wanted and with my methods?

Taking a deep breath, I explained my plan to Uncle, insisting that we must get the bison out of the lake first. But before I moved on to another sentence, Uncle cut me off. "And then what?" he bellowed, the angriest I had heard him since I first journeyed with him, "you never think these things through. This is exactly what happened when you captured the Avatar at the North Pole. You had him, and then you had nowhere to go! If his friends hadn't found you, you would have frozen to death!"

"I know my own destiny, Uncle!" I retorted. Even though I had to stay strong to my goals, I found my position weakening by the second. Uncle had a point: there were several mistakes made at the North Pole. I simply wasn't ready for the elements last time, and even now, I wasn't sure if my plan would succeed. Should I just listen to Uncle and abandon the plan? So how would regaining my honour play a role here then?

But Uncle would soon answer that question for me. "Is it your own destiny, or is it a destiny someone else has tried to force on you?" he demanded. I tried to look away, but the emphasis in his voice became louder and clearer as the argument went on. "I'm begging you, Prince Zuko. It's time for you to look inward, and begin asking yourself the big question: who are you, and what do you want?" He concluded with authority.

Suddenly, my mind couldn't handle more of Uncle's rants. In frustration, I threw my swords to the ground and let out a cry of anxiety, my voice ringing through the room as thoughts mercilessly bombarded my mind. I didn't want to give up my journey of redemption, especially when I was so close to my goal several times now. But given how Uncle had pretty much accepted his fate, and was convincing me all along that a simpler life wasn't out of the question, could I truly abandon the one who accompanied me all this time? I knew Uncle would never be convinced to return to the Fire Nation with me, but I also didn't feel right to just take off without him. Was there no other way?

Finally, I picked up the strength to reach for my swords again. "You're right, Uncle," I conceded, "Maybe there is another way to go about my life." I moved up to the bison, eyeing the six chains that trapped its every leg. Taking another deep breath, I told Uncle, "I'm going to free the bison, and hope that the Avatar can find him."

Not a word was spoken as I used my swords to undo all the clamps and locks on the bison's feet. But even without looking, I could sense Uncle relax completely, his mind finally at ease as I chose to stay with him in Ba Sing Se. Maybe it was because I was cowardly, or maybe because I felt it wasn't worth it, but whatever the case, I felt my bond with Uncle was the most important thing right now. For the first time in three years, I could feel I could call some place home, away from the life that required me to wander the world aimlessly. But most importantly, I could truly live my life with the one person I truly admired: Uncle Iroh. As I undid the last shackle, I watched as the majestic animal took off for its freedom, paralleling the situation I was in right now. Perhaps, with this last act, I could finally achieve my own sense of freedom.

As Uncle and I climbed out from the manhole that I originally sneaked in from, I felt some weight lifted off my shoulders. At the very least, I didn't have to live my life in secret, and I knew this signified the beginning of a new age for me. As my uncle assured me that I did the right thing, I held the Blue Spirit mask in my hands one last time. This was the identity I took as I crossed the Earth Kingdom, having to loot and pillage all the villagers around us in order to survive. But now, as this part of the journey ended, another one would begin, and I was more than happy to move on. Taking one last look at it, I cast it into the lake, letting it sink into the abyss as I shed this painful memory from my mind.


	27. Zuko, Part 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Each character grows up with a set of experiences unique to themselves. Watch each person describe what went through their minds and how they changed as they reacted to the world. These are their stories, these are their rites of passage.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: Michael DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko own Avatar.

**Zuko's POV**

"Who thought when we arrived into this city as refugees that I'd end up owning my own teashop? Follow your passion, Zuko, and life will reward you," Uncle beamed as he observed the operations of the Jasmine Dragon. By the time I came to, defeating my illness and regaining my energy, it was the day that Uncle was to open his new tea shop. And for this time, I felt like I didn't have a worry in the world. No Fire Nation, no Avatar, no nothing. It was like my mind had been purified, and my main goal was to help Uncle make this the best shop in Ba Sing Se.

"Congratulations, Uncle," I replied, my smile matching that of Uncle's, "You deserve it." And for the first time in years, I truly felt happy, almost like I was part of this reward, even though I was vehemently against it before my so-called coma. And that was what Uncle told me he was most thankful for, the fact that I chose to share this moment with him. Maybe this wasn't the redemption I was looking for, but to have the best tea shop in town, working with the best relative in the world, I was quite satisfied nonetheless. Now, it was time to make some tea!

Our busy day whizzed by like lightning, with almost no free time to spare. Customers entered and exited our tea shop in a nonstop flurry. Uncle brewed as quickly as he could while I kept track of each table's orders, trying not to mess any of them up. Despite the hectic situation, I actually found myself completely submersed, if not downright enjoying, the situation. It was almost like life was telling me there were other ways to contribute to fulfilling myself, and helping Uncle was one such method. Uncle and I managed to grab a bite to eat during at not-so-busy time, and that's when I realized how previous life was. After my strange illness, I realized life was just too short to be spent moping around. Why not go out there and achieve a different goal, one that was just as rewarding as the one I had before?

By the time nightfall arrived, Uncle and I were exhausted, but happy that our shop had such great success. I was preparing for the closing down, stacking the tables and chairs away and sweeping the floor, when a rather interesting individual came in. He had a long green robe, and held a scroll in his hand. He gave it to Uncle, claiming it was from the royal palace. I slowed down my sweeping and leaned an ear in. Why would the palace want to see us?

"I can't believe it!" Uncle exclaimed, the scroll shaking in his hands while his eyes almost watered up, "We've been invited to serve tea to the Earth King!" I nearly dropped my broom in shock, not realizing how far the news had reached. I knew quite a few nobles had tea at our shop today and most likely returned to their offices in the palace mentioning our food. But to have word reach the Earth King, making him want to personally try our tea, all within the first day of our operations? That was almost unheard of!

But nonetheless, this was definitely a stroke of luck for us, to the point where we could make our mark in the Earth Kingdom. Quickly closing down the shop, we hurried back to the apartment, setting our menu and trying to think of the best teas we could prepare for the Earth King. I was thinking of just serving tea and matching it with whatever the Earth King usually ate for breakfast, but Uncle insisted that we offered him some of our specialties as well. "If we're there to serve him morning tea, we might as well make it a complete meal," he emphasized.

By the next morning, we were ready for the presentation. A special carriage driven by the royal staff brought us to the front of this gigantic palace, its high walls and long stairway up dwarfing Uncle and me. I dared to say that judging by the exterior alone, it was taller and wider than the Fire Nation palace. The Earth Kingdom was truly beautiful, and I was surprised that I never opened my eyes enough to see it all. But now, to arrive at the pinnacle of the Earth Kingdom, at a place that was so historical, at least according to Uncle, I was in awe.

"Many times I imagined myself here, at the threshold of the palace, but I always thought I would be here as a conqueror," Uncle described as we slowly marched to the front gate, "Instead, we are the Earth King's personal guests, here to serve him tea. Destiny is a funny thing." I had to agree wholeheartedly to Uncle's statement. I recalled all the letters Uncle wrote to me when he was laying siege at Ba Sing Se, claiming how badly he wanted to be at the Earth Kingdom palace to claim his victory. But today, after all his trials and tribulations, he was finally here, celebrating a different victory. While he couldn't conquer the earth benders' land, he was about to conquer their taste buds. I would love to see the king's reaction when he complimented our meal!

A servant led us to a chamber away from the main halls, which I guessed was the Earth King's own private dining quarters. We were left all alone inside as the lady told us she would fetch the Earth King. I wasn't sure what to make of the lady, except for the fact that I found her expressions a bit suspect. Her eyes were open yet lifeless, and her smile was so stretched that it almost seemed fake. Add her overall stiff posture in walking, and I would say she was really overworked. Did the Earth Kingdom palace have a shortage of serving staff or something like that? I never recalled our servants acting like that in the Fire Nation.

But the silence grew deeper and longer, with no signs of the Earth King at all. Uncle felt maybe the Earth King overslept, but I wasn't so sure. And when a set of dark-robed guards with green hats surrounded Uncle and me, I knew there was trouble. A while back, when Uncle and I were mere employees at our former tea shop, this crazy guy I met on the ferry to Ba Sing Se came storming in. Jet, as I recalled his name to be, accused Uncle and I of being fire benders and wanted the authorities to arrest us. We broke into a swordfight, spilling onto the street while I tried to suppress my fire bending. It wasn't until these robed guys showed up until Jet was taken away. I was told by citizens around the shop that they were the Dai Li, supposedly some sort of secret police in Ba Sing Se. And to see them surrounding us, this was quite intimidating.

Then, that very condescending voice, one that I would never expect to hear for the rest of my life, sliced through the silence. "It is tea time," a figure clad in Earth Kingdom attire sneered. Even with the different outfit, I knew it was Azula. "Have you met the Dai Li? They're earth benders, but they have a killer instinct that is so fire bender. I just love it!" Even as I begun a new chapter of my life, Azula had to interfere yet again.

Immediately I shot to my feet, ready to battle her. I still hadn't forgotten the battle for the Avatar at the ghost town, in which Azula not only humiliated me by hindering my search for the Avatar, but also injured Uncle in the process. Yet, the one who took the most damage in that battle was surprisingly calm, even lifting his tea cup and taking a sip. "Did I ever tell you how I got the nickname 'Dragon of the West'?" Uncle asked. I instantly smirked as Uncle mentioned this, knowing full well what the Dai Li was in for.

While Azula merely snorted and shrugged off what she conceived to be another attempt to tell a crazy life story, Uncle offered to demonstrate. Just as Uncle swallowed his tea, I ducked my head, feeling the heat go above me full-blast as Uncle breathed fire on the Dai Li agents, blowing them all back as we made our escape. With a fire fist, I blasted a hole through the wall and led us out into a different hallway, all the while Uncle brought up the rear with more fire breathing. At this rate, Uncle could cook the entire Dai Li team before day's end!

As we hustled to the nearest possible exit, dodging earthen bullets from behind us, I kept replaying Azula's battle with me. Perhaps the way I was handling things right now, running away from the problem rather than facing it head-on, was the issue dogging me the entire time. While I was still happy and honoured to be helping Uncle's tea shop, I also realized there would be no end to Azula's pursuits unless I stopped her dead in her tracks. There was always a chance to serve tea with Uncle after I defeated Azula, but until I did she would always hound me. Closing in on the wall ahead, I froze in my tracks, preparing to retaliate.

Uncle blasted the wall with lightning, creating a large enough hole for him to jump through. I peered through the hole just in time to see Uncle crush the neatly pruned shrubs, all the while calling me to jump. Clenching my fists, I realized now was the time for me to take a stand, and defeated Azula once and for all. Turning back to the hallway, I marched straight into the line of fire, where Azula now stood commanding the Dai Li.

"You're so dramatic," my sister snorted again, waving off the Dai Li. The Earth Kingdom secret police force merely fell in line behind her, obeying her every command. Did she now have control over earth benders? "Are you going to challenge me to an Agni Kai?"

I hissed in anger as she taunted me again, reminding me of the last Agni Kai in which she was present. She was there when my father fought me, and from what I heard she had quite the experience watching my father brand that scar onto my face. Maybe she would like to have a similar scar right here? "Yes, I challenge you!" I declared.

But to my biggest surprise, Azula turned around and flatly refused. As she marched into the darkness, I was left dumbfounded and angry, wondering what just happened. But before I could even react, the Dai Li came at me, clamping my feet to the ground with their earthen fists. I struggled to break free, even using my hands to push off. But it was no use, as the Dai Li just tightened their grip further by cementing my hands. Before long, they were dragging me away, just like how they dragged Jet away, leaving wondering just where I went wrong again.

________________________________________

**Iroh's POV**

"What are you doing with the Avatar?" I got a load of berating from my nephew as I came barging down into the catacombs underneath the Earth Kingdom. After Zuko's crazy attempt to take on Azula backfired, I had to look for back-up. Luckily, I saw an old friend, the young earth bender Toph Bei Fong run by, and that meant the Avatar was most likely near the palace. It didn't hurt that I captured a Dai Li guard and flushed all the vital information from him, making us realize that Azula was in Ba Sing Se to plot a coup, using the Dai Lai as her main weapon. With Zuko and Katara, the young water bender from the Avatar's group, both being held hostage, we had to take action quickly.

"Saving you, that's what," the young air bending Avatar Aang sharply retorted. That drew a rather quick rebuke from Zuko, who was none-too-pleased that he had to be rescued by the very boy he sought to capture all these years. But with Azula, and now Aang, coming back into Zuko's lives, it was only right that we sorted things out.

"It's time we talked," I told my nephew, holding him back from pummelling Aang. Suggesting that Aang and Katara took off first, I focused my efforts on Zuko. "You're not the man you used to be, Zuko. You are stronger, wiser, and freer than you have ever been. And now you have come to the crossroads of your destiny." There was no doubt in my mind that even though the battle was won when Zuko awoke from his coma, the war was far from over, as Azula wasn't about to let us off the hook. But if Zuko were to stand his ground to fight, then at least he ought to know what to side for. "It's time for you to choose good."

Before I could elaborate, I was blindsided by a series of crystals, trapping my arms and legs and making movement very difficult. I had to admit that I was caught off guard by the Dai Li, who now marched in with Azula. Last time I was trapped, I was in a hot spring getting ambushed by Earth Kingdom soldiers. That group outnumbered Zuko and me five to two, but we clearly outmatched them. But the Dai Li, I could imagine a much more difficult time taking on these agents. Biting my lower lip, I watched as Azula approached Zuko.

"I expected this kind of treachery from Uncle, but Zuko," Azula stated, her voice half-mocking and half-forceful. It was so difficult trying to figure out which side of her was showing at any given time, but for all intents and purposes, I could tell whatever comments she had, they were not good. "Prince Zuko, you're a lot of things, but you're not a traitor, are you? It's not too late for you, Zuko. You can still redeem yourself," she offered.

Hearing that message, I had to interject. "The kind of redemption she offers is not for you," I stated. Zuko worked too hard to be free of her to fall prey to Azula's manipulation again, and I couldn't just watch her make Zuko her puppet. Zuko fought through this when he freed the bison, so he did know what the stakes were this time, right?

But Azula really worked her magic on Zuko, insisting that I backed off and let Zuko choose. "I've plotted every move of this day, this glorious day in Fire Nation history, and the only way we win is together. At the end of this day, you will have your honour back, you will have Father's love, you will have everything you want!" she declared. I couldn't see clearly from my trapped position, but I could see make the slightest shudder at that remark.

"Zuko, I am begging you," I stated again, hoping my nephew still had some good in his heart, "Look into your heart and see what it is that you truly want." Time and time again, I told Zuko that he was the one to find his own destiny, not anyone else. Ever since the Agni Kai that gave him the scar, Zuko had been following the destiny of another person, mainly his father's, to the point where he could no longer choose his own path. Even the event that sparked Zuko's Agni Kai, speaking out against the general, had been about restricting Zuko's choice. So if he couldn't get this chance to choose his own life now, when was he ever going to?

Azula dismissed the Dai Li, slowly marching through Zuko and I as she disappeared into the passage Aang and Katara marched through earlier. Right now, I knew there wasn't anything more I could do to convince Zuko of his choice, other than hoped he made the right one. This entire journey, from the pursuit of the Avatar a few months back, to the period in exile where we wandered the Earth Kingdom aimlessly, to today when we opened the tea shop and were invited here, it had been one huge trial for Zuko's life. He had been through so much, and much of that experience matured him, at least in my view. If there was a good moment to show what he was all about, now would be the time to do it. So please, Zuko, make the right choice.

Suddenly, I heard Zuko shed his outer layer, tossing his apron and top to the side, leaving him in a short-sleeved shirt as he raced down the passageway after Azula. I could only shake my head, realizing what a big mistake Zuko was about to make. By heading straight for Azula, and helping her capture the Avatar, Zuko just threw himself back into Azula's trap. Azula wouldn't be thankful for Zuko's efforts; rather, she would do more to make Zuko do things her way. With her controlling nature, why would she give Zuko a chance at anything?

Taking a deep breath, I tried to manoeuvre my fire bending around the green crystals, hoping to break as many of them with as small a blast as possible. I had to save my energy for stopping Azula, who was more powerful than anyone could imagine. Just as I managed to remove all the crystals, the Dai Li agents reappeared. "Do not make me battle you," I warned them, seriously not in the mood for this, "I wish to save my nephew, nothing more. Please let me be on my way, and I will not bother you for the rest of my time here."

But the Dai Li came here for a mission, and that was to help Azula conquer Ba Sing Se. Barely a second passed before they hurled their rocks at me, putting me on the defensive. Even though I had ample experience with fire bending and fighting tough foes, the Dai Li were very formidable fighters in their own right. Their element of stealth was something that most earth benders lacked, as regular earth benders tended to stay close to the ground and used their lower body strength. But these Dai Li agents were nimble, agile, and always in motion, making me fight more like an earth bender by staying put and observing them. As I blocked shot after shot of rock with my fire shields, I realized it was getting harder to break through their stall tactics.

Figuring I had no choice, I had to loosen my restraint and went full force on them. While I thought about saving energy to defeat Azula, there was no way I could even approach them with the Dai Li blocking my way. Focusing my energy on the two robed figures still running circles around me, I created a fire dome around me. I had no idea how well this was going to work, but I only hoped for the best as I unleashed the surrounding attack. The flames shot straight at the Dai Li agents, who barely had time to stop and put up earthen shields. Part of the plan was to use their speed against them, and by the looks of it, it worked.

With the two Dai Li separated, I could now pick each one off. Aiming two simultaneous fire blasts at them, I sent them straight back at the rocky walls, keeping them off my trail for the moment as I ran into the cavernous tunnel after my nephew. Part of me truly hoped that Zuko would be taking on Azula, despite the difference in skills, just to help young Aang and Katara escape. But somehow, I doubted Zuko would be free of Azula's manipulation. My niece was way too cunning and manipulative to let go of this chance to pick on Zuko, and possibly turn him against all his ideals and morals. Was Zuko strong enough to withstand this temptation?

Unfortunately, my worst fears came true. My nephew was right there, standing by Azula while a whole army of Dai Li agents waited behind them. Katara was in the middle of the cave, holding a now unconscious Aang. I felt sick to the stomach seeing the carnage, especially knowing that my nephew was most likely responsible for some of it. And with an army of Dai Li agents on their side, there was no way I could defeat them all. But still, I had to at least give the Avatar and his friend a fighting chance, so I had to stall while they could escape.

Jumping into the fray, I unleashed a volley of fire at the enemies, all the while calling to the young water bender, "You've got to get out of here. I'll hold them off for as long as I can!" I couldn't even see how many people were attacking, or how many people noticed Katara making her escape, but I felt the green crystals jutting up from the ground again. Before long, I was stuck in the exact same position as before, my whole body trapped inside the green minerals while the Dai Li surrounded me. And with this many guards, I wouldn't be in a position to struggle.

Scanning the horizon, I managed to catch sight of Zuko, who had this stunned look on his face. I wasn't sure why he was so surprised at my actions, as I felt he should be more surprised at his own actions. After all that we had been through, after seeing all the negative acts Azula forced him through, and after everything he found out about his own history and relating to the Avatar, he still chose to join Azula? I was very disappointed at my nephew, to the point where I didn't want to say anything to him. He might return home a hero, but his days would be a struggle, as he pretty much sacrificed his freedom for this taste of superficial glory. Feeling the sadness overtake me, I turned my head away, refusing to look at my surrogate son.

________________________________________

**Zuko's POV**

"Lee, I can't believe it. It's been so long!" Jin's familiar voice sliced through the crowd as my face paled somewhat. After the coup, in which the Fire Nation finally conquered Ba Sing Se, I was still very confused about what happened. Uncle Iroh was dragged off in chains, and for the first time ever I felt alone. But still, most of my intuition blamed Uncle for this. He had a chance to join me in this glorious day, but chose to defect. Not only did he fail to regain his past glory, he was now a full-fledged traitor. He deserved to be in jail, no questions asked.

"Hi, Jin, um..." I stuttered, not knowing what to say. My hands wrung nervously as I turned to Mai, who I had been spending the night with. After the coup, Azula showed me that she brought along Mai and Ty Lee, two friends from our childhood. Mai and I did have a history together, starting from the time I saved her from having Azula shooting an apple off her hand with fire. We saw each other quite frequently between then and my Agni Kai, but we hadn't had a full conversation until today, when Azula and Ty Lee forced us together under a fake dinner. To see the same girl I had dinner with before in front of Mai, I was really nervous. Well, she did hear that I was from the circus right? So why not just pass that off as a reason for Mai? "This is just my friend. My friend Mai, from the circus, is the knife thrower. Yeah!"

Suddenly, my apprehension spiked as Mai dragged me before a fountain, offering to show Jin how knife throwing worked. I knew Mai developed this skill as part of the way she dealt with boredom at home, given how her parents limited her activities. Slapping a fish onto my head, I suddenly felt like Mai did those years back, when Azula wanted to shoot the apple off her head with fire. Well, at least I knew Mai was an expert now, right? We weren't little kids anymore, so maybe I would be safe? I could only swallow hard as Mai snapped an icicle off a nearby stand and, before I could get ready, flung that thing my way.

Luckily, Mai's aim was true, and the icicle gutted the fish right down the middle. I let out a huge sigh of relief, the blood slowly returning to my face as Jin clapped in amazement. Maybe Mai just wanted to have a bit of fun, which was odd, because Mai was usually the emotionless and disinterested one. But now, it almost felt like she was opening up, the first time in years since I saw her do anything like that. Maybe there was something more inside Mai than I knew?

But before I could even react, Mai handed Jin an icicle, pointing at my head again. This time, the fluids flushed out my face twice as fast, my head paralyzed like the fish at the seafood stand as Jin aimed that thing at me. Mai, you weren't planning on having Jin do the throwing, were you? She wasn't a professional, and I doubted she had practiced before. So you would do me this favour and let me off the hook here, right?

Nope, not a chance, as that icicle now came precariously close to me. Before the sharp end imbedded itself into my forehead, I did the only thing possible and dove out of the way. Picking up my feet, I tried to take an extra step, but suddenly felt a block of rock right in my path. Soon enough, I found myself not going sideways, but downward.

The chilly water splashed away whatever shock I still had as the icicle fell harmlessly into the pool, leaving me drenched and cold. Just as I wiped my face, I heard a voice snicker from above me, "Now we're even." Looking up, I saw Mai looming over me, an evil grin taking up my entire line of vision. Apparently, she hadn't forgotten that I rescued her by shoving her into a pond, and she wasn't about to forgive and forget that incident.

I just dropped whatever thought I still had of the situation and chased after Mai. Leaving Jin still standing at the fountain to admire her good work, I pursued Mai through alleys and corners, all the while yelling, "Are you crazy? You could have gotten me killed!" I finally grabbed a hold of her elbow, holding her in place as I whipped her around to face me.

Just then, we were all alone, with nobody around us and no sound to be heard from any direction. The night was calm and windless as I stared into her golden eyes, reminiscing all the good times we had. I had been through quite an ordeal the past few years, and I had reservations about my journey's bittersweet end. Father might view me as a hero now, but it was at the expense of losing Uncle, who chose not to side with me. But in between all that, I forgot how amazing Mai really was. She might not know it, but Mai was only more beautiful when she showed her happy side, and how I missed seeing her happiness so much during my exile. "You finally seem to be enjoying yourself," I observed.

Mai's eyes tilted apprehensively, not quite knowing how to describe it. Could it be that the childhood crush was now becoming something more? "A lot had changed since the days when I used to throw mud in your face," she replied, "But not everything's changed." With that, she placed her hands onto my cheeks and pulled me in closer.

When we pressed our lips together, the whole world seemed to melt into the distance, letting us bask in the moment. If there was one thing I found today, it was that old relationships could be rekindled, and there were those who were willing to wait years for the return. Mai might not have gone through as large an ordeal as me, but to see her still coming back to me even after all these years, it was truly something I cherished. I would never take it for granted that I had such a great friend, and now we were going to take this one step further.

We ended up returning to the Earth Kingdom palace hand-in-hand, with my mind a lot clearer than it had been before. I truly appreciated what Mai did for me, giving me back my confidence and strength to face the future. I still had doubts about whether I should return to the Fire Nation, but at least I wasn't as adamant against it. But one thing's for sure: with Mai by my side, there was no way Azula could make me her puppet again. I was my own person, free to live my own life, and I chose to live it with pride. I knew deep down Mai did support this decision, and hopefully we could translate that into sending Azula this message.

________________________________________

**Zuko's POV**

The throne room was just as grand, and intimidating, as I had remembered it from over three years ago. The only illumination came from the series of flames surrounding the throne, where a silhouetted figure now sat. My stomach churned endlessly, almost like it wanted to throw out my lunch. My feet turned into stone, dragging themselves into position before I got onto my knees. It had been three years since I spoke out of turn here, three years since that fateful Agni Kai, and three years since my father last spoke to me. Now that I returned with Azula after defeating Ba Sing Se, how would my father receive me?

As my head touched the ground in a full kowtow, my father spoke to me. "You've been away for a long time. I see the weight of your travels has changed you. You have redeemed yourself, my son," he stated, his voice authoritative, but for the first time, receptive of me. I still didn't dare to look up, but now at least I heard footsteps coming from the throne.

But the figure soon stopped, casting a long shadow before me. Last time that happened, I ended up with a burn to my face, but somehow a little voice inside me insisted that I looked up. No matter how bad it was that time, I had a feeling that it was different. He did say I redeemed myself, right? So that meant he accepted me now? He would no longer renounce his love of me, like what happened back then? Taking a deep breath, I finally lifted my head.

That look I hadn't seen for so long was now in my vision, the long and pale, but still strong and firm face staring right back at me. It was a huge contrast between the three years, as the last time I was here, that face was twisted into a grimace, adding onto the intimidating scolding tone when I refused to fight him. But this time, his eyes were gentle, and there was no such aggression when he welcomed me home. And for the first time ever, I felt relieved.

"I am proud of you, Prince Zuko," my father stated, now pacing back and forth before me, "I am proud because you and your sister conquered Ba Sing Se. I am proud because where your loyalty is tested, by your treacherous uncle, you did the right thing and captured the traitor." I nearly shuddered as he mentioned Uncle Iroh. Even though I agreed it was Uncle who brought this upon himself, I didn't feel completely right about doing the act. Traitor or not, Uncle Iroh was the one who looked out for me for the last three years, and saved me multiple times, along with training me in fire bending techniques. Could I just ignore all that and throw him in jail?

"And I am proudest of all of your most legendary accomplishment," My father continued, now positioning himself right behind me, "You slaying the Avatar!" Upon hearing that, I nearly did a double take. Last time I checked, Azula was the one who ran through the air bender with her lightning, not me. So when did that change so quickly? Azula wasn't trying to pull a fast one on me by telling Father a different version of the events, right?

Upon inquiring from my father, I found out that Azula told him I was the one to deliver the final blow after going several rounds with the boy. She described I showed amazing power and ferocity, cornering the Avatar before killing him off. I could feel my eyebrows furrow harder and harder as the story went on, knowing full well that most, if not all of it, were lies. I wasn't sure what Azula was trying to do, claiming I was the one to kill the Avatar, but I knew she couldn't be up to anything good. I had been back less than a day, and already she was up to her old tricks. What was she thinking by manipulating Father like that?

After a few more congratulatory words, I excused myself from the throne room. I wasn't about to let Azula off the hook here, and I was determined to find out what was going on. Marching through the palace, I entered the wing with the living quarters and headed straight for Azula's room. Luckily, I still remembered where everybody slept before, and I doubted anyone of them moved rooms. Stepping up to Azula's room, I shoved open the door and marched right up to her bed. Not caring that she was trying to sleep, I called to her. "Why did you tell Father that I was the one who killed the Avatar?" I demanded, glaring right at her.

Azula slowly turned her body to face me, like she didn't have a care in the world. "You seemed so worried about how Father would treat you when you haven't captured the Avatar," she explained, slowly getting up and nonchalantly glancing at her fingernails, "I figured if I gave you the credit, you have nothing to worry about." Even with my restoration as the prince, Azula didn't even hesitate in using her arrogant tone on me. It made me sick to the back teeth.

Azula slowly stepped off the bed, that sickeningly sweet, but foully condescending tone still present as she thanked me for my help in Ba Sing Se. "I was happy to share the glory," she added, taking a casual pose against the post of her bed. Inside my head, every alarm bell went off as a result of that. Azula thanking me had to be the biggest joke ever.

"You're lying. You have another motive for doing this. I just haven't figured out what it is," I accused, my eyes never leaving her as Azula paced the room, stretching her arms and shrugging off all my allegations. Earlier, Azula asked me if there was any way the Avatar might have survived the battle, and I did recall Katara, that water bender girl, tell me she had some spiritual healing water from the North Pole. I wasn't sure what its effect might be, but was it powerful enough to revive the dead? What was Azula trying to do by prying into that detail?

"What ulterior motive could I have? What could I possibly gain by letting you get all the glory for defeating the Avatar?" she asked rhetorically. I felt angry and nervous at the same time, knowing she was going to bring up the possibility that the Avatar might not be dead. "Unless somehow the Avatar was actually alive, and all that glory would suddenly turn to shame and foolishness. But you said yourself that was impossible." Azula now returned to her bed, sitting upright and staring at me with sarcastic eyes and her trademark smirk.

My stomach sank significantly as she continued eyeing me strangely. What if the spiritual water did work its magic, and the Avatar survived the hit? What if he was on his way to safety, doing who knew what to defeat us once more? And how much did Azula know about this item, to the point where she could ask pointed questions like that? Suddenly, the darkness in the room just increased in magnitude, leaving me in an eerie silence as I tried to find a way out.

Gravely, I turned around and left her room, heading back to my own as Azula called from her bed, "Sleep well, Zuzu." Apparently, there was more work to be done to confirm that the Avatar was truly dead. I had to seek out other sources of information while keeping my actions a secret, just to make sure this possibility didn't get out. But for now, I had to rest up, and think up of different plans in the morning. With Azula's trickiness and my father completely swayed by her words, I had quite a difficult web to spin myself out of this time.

________________________________________

**Zuko's POV**

"I'm bored, and I'm hungry," Mai murmured as we sat on a bench at the far side of the room. My father had this crazy idea that he had to plan the final steps of the war with his closest ministers, sending Azula and I on a forced vacation to Ember Island. Mai and Ty Lee ended up joining us, meaning we at least had some company on this trip. After the incident at the throne room where Azula told Father that I was the one to kill the Avatar, I ended up going to my uncle to ask for advice. Unfortunately, the old fool still refused to admit his mistake, opting to ignore me for my choice to return home rather than reaching out. Seriously, I never expected this from Uncle at all. Was he so arrogant and blinded by his own ego that he couldn't accept mistakes?

Unfortunately, Azula found out about this, and warned me not to see Uncle again. Azula was another person that I was concerned with. The longer I was with her, the longer I felt she might suspect the Avatar was still alive. So one night, when nobody noticed, I slipped out of the palace and hired an assassin to track down the Avatar, ordering that the boy be killed, should he still be alive. But right now, Azula's suspicions were the least of my concerns, as my grumpy girlfriend wasn't exactly making life easy for me. Seriously, how could anyone deal with dating someone who seemed interested in nothing? She wasn't like that during our first few dates, but today it felt like there was nothing that could get her excited.

Feeling my good side take over, I trudged over to the main table and grabbed a plate. At the beach earlier today, we challenged a bunch of other teens to a game, and that caught the attention of these two dunderheads calling themselves our hosts. Chan and Ruon-Jian weren't exactly common folk, as most guests here had parents or other relatives somewhere up the Fire Nation nobility or military hierarchy. But to see them flaunt around bragging their credentials to people made me sick. If it wasn't for Azula's idea to keep our identities secret, I would wipe their smiles off their faces for sure. Well, small price to pay just to get some company, right?

Just as I got enough stuff to go back, this lunatic had to wave his arm right in front of me. I tried to dodge, but to no avail. The plate overturned and its contents plopped onto the ground like clumps of wet sand tossed into the waves. Steaming more than the trays I picked from earlier, I grabbed the klutz who knocked the plate over. "Watch it! That food was for my cranky girlfriend!" I roared, pointing in Mai's direction.

I nearly did a double-take as a boy hovered right over the seated Mai. It was Ruon-Jian, one of our co-hosts. As if the summer heat didn't make my blood boil enough, this surely took the cake. Nobody was about to take Mai from right under my nose, especially some stuck-up, full-of-hot-air wannabe. Racing in their direction, I pulled Ruon-Jian away from Mai and nearly hurled him across the room. "Stop talking to my girlfriend!" I yelled.

Ruon-Jian approached again, telling me that it was a party, meaning anyone could interact with anyone. Oh really? So just because we were at a party meant you could stalk Mai while I grabbed food? Aiming my hand right at his sternum, I pressed forward just as Ruon-Jian took the last step, sending him sailing with a well-aimed shove. And what did you know? He landed straight on an expensive vase! Hope you didn't get cut on the way down, bucko!

"Zuko!" Mai's exclamation only brought my attention back at her. She started waving her finger in my face and declared to everyone how I had this attitude problem. The whole house was dead silent as Mai continued lecturing me, but I didn't pick up any of her words. What right did she have to blow up at me when she was the one acting all bored and disinterested the whole day? At least I tried to engage her, but how did she react? "You're so impatient, and hot-headed, and angry!" she concluded, her arms angrily crossed over her chest.

What? I was being too emotional? Said the one who felt nothing at any given time! "At least I feel something, as opposed to you. You have no passion for anything! You're just a big blah!" I ranted. Was there anything more hypocritical than Mai's words right now?

Soon enough, I paid the price for that. Mai whipped around and told me it was over. As if that wasn't enough, Chan charged in from nowhere and cried about how his family's vase was now shattered. Oh, boo-hoo, as if it meant anything to him. Had it not been his family giving him all the perks, he wouldn't even have this beach house. Just as Chan was about to eject me from the party, I shot him a dark look. "I was just leaving," I spat, going straight for the door before slamming it shut behind me. Why was I surrounded by idiots all day?

I found myself going back to my family's old beach house, a place that I hadn't been to in years. The last time I came here, it was before my mother disappeared, and I was still on fairly good terms with Uncle. I gently pushed the door open, only to be greeted with a cloud of dust as I tried surveying the scene. The waves splashing the shoreline at the bottom of the hill was the only sound echoing through this old building, with the moonlight my only guide into the hall. I stepped up to the first wall, and was greeted with a familiar sight.

Well, this is interesting, I thought to myself. It was a family portrait, done at a time when things weren't as complicated in our household. I was the little boy sitting to the left of my dad, who had a hand on my shoulder. Azula was to his right, and sandwiched between Dad and Mom. Just the sight of this picture brought back so many memories, including one where Mom and I were together making a hand cast. I was just a toddler back then, but I still recalled how much I enjoyed just being there. Looking around, I tried to find the hand print. It had been over a decade since I made it, so would it still be around after all this time?

Luckily, I didn't have to look far, as the imprint was sitting right on the ledge underneath the portrait. I picked it up, taking a look at the small hand that made the print. I pressed my own palm on it, and realized my hand size exceeded not just the imprint, but the entire plate. So much had gone by since that day, and I would visit Ember Island several more times in between. When I was no longer a baby, Dad already took his priorities elsewhere, devoting very little time with me. I ended up coming here with Uncle and Lu Ten, both of whom were fantastic. Uncle's wife passed away before I was born, and since Uncle never remarried, Lu Ten never had any siblings. Every time I joined them on these outings, Lu Ten's big brother personality would take over and he would take me on all sorts of adventures. Uncle, of course, didn't mind Lu Ten and me playing together. Those were fantastic times that lasted all the way until Uncle was asked to lead the Siege at Ba Sing Se, and Lu Ten opting to fight alongside him.

But all those memories seemed so far away, as a lot had changed since that time. Lu Ten died in battle while Mom mysteriously disappeared. My life under my father was miserable, as he wasted no time declaring how soft I was, and that I ought to be stronger in every aspect of life before I could call myself his heir. The moment of truth came during the Agni Kai, leading to my banishment, only to end it at Ba Sing Se when Azula and I fought the Avatar, with Uncle turning into a traitor by letting the Avatar's group escape. Somehow, I felt like I came full circle by coming back here, looking back at the hard road I took to grow up. It felt like this never-ending journey of hardships was about to come to an end with my restoration.

But I still didn't feel complete, as something inside me kept bothering me. Even with a supposedly perfect life, where I regained my father's love and had a steady relationship with Mai, I felt my emotions rise and fall in magnitudes greater than ever before. Part of it might be due to Uncle, as I formed a new bond by breaking an old one. But I was convinced there was another battle brewing inside me that threatened to even outdo this one. Holding the plaque tightly, I stepped out to the steps and plopped myself down, thinking about how I blew up at the ones I loved the most while refusing to let others help me. I racked my brain hard, and I just couldn't describe why it was that I felt this way.

"I thought I'd find you here," Azula's voice sliced into my concentration. For the first time in a little while, I actually welcomed her presence. I hated to admit it, but the more I thought about the past, the more I realized I had to get away from it. The reason I returned to the Fire Nation was to start anew, earning back my status as Crown Prince while building on my future. There was no need to continue brooding over what happened however many years ago. So when Azula requested that I went to the beach with her, I obliged. I wasn't any closer to finding out what was wrong with me, and I doubted going down to the beach would make things any better, especially when I was sure a very ticked off Mai would be there waiting for me.

Yup, there she was, sitting there looking as bored as ever. I tried to sit next to her, asking her if she was cold, only to get the cold shoulder right up my face. Part of me wanted to chew her out right now, but I realized it was probably best just to play it civil. Heck, even Ty Lee was trying to change the subject by telling us how freezing cold she was, so couldn't we all just drop the issue? Turning my eyes back to the beach house, I decided to make a fire. "There's plenty of stuff to burn in there," I stated, heading back to the abandoned property.

By the time I hauled all that old junk out to the pit for burning, Ty Lee already changed her tune. Maybe she was shocked that I was burning stuff from my past, but wasn't that the point here? I didn't want to associate myself with that painful time, where my mother died only to leave me at the mercy of my father. Uncle kind of took over parental duties, but then he had to betray us all, leaving me at the mercy of this crowd. Seriously, was nobody around here loyal to their beliefs anymore? And Ty Lee thought I cared about what she felt about my past? She was about to find out how sadly mistaken she really was. "You're stuck in your little Ty Lee world, where everything's great all the time! I'm so pretty, look at me, I can walk on my hands!" I taunted her, trying to do a handstand Ty Lee style, "Circus freak!"

But never in my life did I imagine Ty Lee snapping back at me, claiming how she didn't want to live her life in a matched set. I didn't think I was being harsh by stating the obvious that she was always showing off her circus experiences, but apparently that struck a nerve with the usually cheerful girl. "At least I'm different now. Circus freak is a compliment!" she roared.

Before I could retort, my so-called girlfriend beat me to the punch. "Attention issues," she observed, "You couldn't get enough attention as a kid, so you try to make up for it now." Wow, and I thought Mai was the type to not speak and be opinionated. Now she was taking swipes at those around her? Did that guy who she hung out with taught her to have some guts or something? And the sad part was, I agreed with Mai on Ty Lee's problems!

But this little cat fight was going nowhere, as Mai didn't even bother to respond to Ty Lee's comment that Mai had a grey aura. I couldn't explain it, but hearing Mai just let Ty Lee take shot after shot at her without defending herself made me angrier. I was still upset at Mai, but part of me still cared. Why was this so confusing for me?

Finally, Mai decided to shoot off her mouth, this time talking about how she had no worries in her life. "I was a rich, only child who got anything I wanted, as long as I behaved. I sat still, and didn't speak until spoke to." It was apparent that Mai was describing those times when my family visited hers. Her father had to worry about his political career, therefore making her act as a perfect goody-two-shoe all day long. Back then, I couldn't even get two peeps out of her, so why would I expect things to be different now?

And yup, my sister had to get involved as well, claiming that Mai was afraid to care about anything because how much she tended to bottle up her emotions. "That's why you can't express yourself," she replied, her tone sickeningly patronizing.

Finally, after what seemed to be an eternity, Mai got the guts to speak up. Glaring at Azula, she yelled at my sister to leave her alone. Heck, even I wasn't let off the hook, as she told me she hadn't forgiven me, all the while I tried to tell her how happy I felt seeing her be that expressive of herself. "I'm still mad at you. There's no excuse for the way you've been acting!" Mai spat. It was enough to turn my angry self back on, tenfold its original intensity.

"My father decided to teach me a permanent lesson on my face!" I pointed to the scar around my left eye. Apparently, everyone was so busy telling their sob stories that they totally forgot about my existence. Did they really think they had it tougher than me, who had to endure that burn plus three years of exile hunting a character that most people believed didn't exist back then? And even after returning with my honour intact, there were still people who kept irritating me, almost like there was something inside me punching my lights out every time I thought about the issue. "I should be happy for returning, but I'm not! I'm angrier than ever and I don't know why!" I declared, glaring at the girls seated on the rocks before me.

Then, mass chaos ensued, as the girls started listing off name after name, hoping to find out what was driving me crazy. Dad, Uncle Iroh, Azula, even Mai herself, but none of them fit my thoughts at the moment. And each word they said became nothing more than slurs, their bodies blurring in the flickering fire before me. My breathing became heavier and quicker, my heart raced, and my mind flustered, before all gave way in one shot. "I'm angry at myself!" I screamed into the air, causing the flames to jettison into the dark sky.

By the time I calmed down, so had everything around me. The fire ate up all the materials inside, leaving us with mere embers. There was no significant wind to speak of, just the sounds of the ocean waves lashing at the sand behind me. I could barely make out the figures before me, leaving me staring at the sea witless and alone. "I'm confused. I'm not sure if I know the difference between right and wrong anymore," I murmured, almost wanting to cry.

Just when I thought I would be spending my night moping alone, a hand found its way onto my shoulder. "I know one thing I care about," Mai's gentle voice could be heard soothing me, "I care about you." I felt my entire body warming up again as Mai leaned in, planting her lips onto mine. Well, when you managed to get the usually emotionless one that riled up, only to have her kiss you at the end of the night, wasn't that a big enough reward in and of itself? With no hesitation whatsoever, I returned the gesture, feeling that perhaps, after that rough experience in the house party, we ought to go back to being a couple again.

To no one's surprise, Azula had to get her sarcastic applause in there, claiming how she didn't have a single worry in the world. Somehow I doubted that, given the lengths she had to go just to get everyone on her side. If it wasn't intimidating someone with their lives, it was via some blackmailing method. I hated to admit it, but it was times like these that I was glad Uncle told me to think for myself, and be a free man rather than be subject to Azula's taunts.

But there was still one score to even, and that was the party from earlier. I didn't appreciate Ruon-Jian calling me all those names when I was thrown out, and they didn't throw a great party anyway. Just to make sure Chan and Ruon-Jian learned their lesson, perhaps we should go back and really show them what we could do. Gathering everyone, we slowly marched back in the direction of Chan's house, hoping to give that place the beating of a lifetime.

________________________________________

**Iroh's POV**

"You sent this, didn't you?" Zuko was a bust of anger as he stormed into the room containing my prison cell. I had to admit that I wasn't too keen on seeing him a little while back, given that he berated me each time he was here. I didn't hold it against him for making the wrong choice, but I was taken aback by how he kept trying to justify his actions with honour and heroism. To me, there was no honour in continuing a war that started with genocide.

"I found the secret history, which, by the way, should be renamed the history that most people already know," my nephew continued ranting. It was true that I asked one of the kinder prison guards, Ming, to write the message and delivered it to Zuko. But based on what Zuko told me, I believed he made a mistake in the great-grandfather I told him to research about. The fact that Zuko told me he found out how his great-grandfather was still alive after the biggest volcanic eruption the Fire Nation history showed he went down the wrong path.

"No, he wasn't," I replied softly, "You have more than one great-grandfather, Prince Zuko. Sozin was your father's grandfather, but your mother's grandfather was Avatar Roku." That was the very person I ran into when I entered the Spirit World the first time, and it was the same person that I wanted Zuko to investigate in this message.

I could tell Zuko was in a state of shock, his knees nearly collapsing as he fumbled the note I sent him. "Understanding the battle between your two great-grandfathers can help you better understand the struggle within yourself," I explained as Zuko dropped to his knees, "evil and good are always at war inside you, Zuko. It is your nature, your legacy." At first, I didn't really believe it either, but a strange journey back into the Spirit World after I was imprisoned, in which I saw Avatar Roku again, caused me to change my mind.

"But there is a bright side," I pointed out, reaching into a loose brick at the back of my cell, "What happened generations ago can be resolved now, by you. Because of your legacy, you alone can cleanse the sins of our family and the Fire Nation. Born in you, along with all the strife, is the power to restore balance to the world." With that, I reached into the space that brick used to occupy, and pulled out an object I never thought would see daylight again.

Zuko could only look on as I presented a royal head piece. "This is a royal artefact, it's supposed to be worn by the Crown Prince," I described. When I was younger, I had to wear this very piece to designate my position to the throne. It was originally supposed to go to Lu Ten, but given Zuko's current position, he was the only one who ought to be wearing it. "I know you still have many doubts about this, Prince Zuko, but I trust that you will make the right judgment."

Zuko's hand shook uncontrollably as he gently grabbed the piece, his eyes fascinated and fearful at the same time. I never expected Zuko to have an easy time with making decisions, and my only expectation for him in life was to have a relaxed life, able to enjoy the world and all that it provided. But after Avatar Roku suddenly summoned me a few days ago, I realized things were dire. When the young Avatar Aang was shot down by Azula, the Avatar's most extreme power, the Avatar State, was now blocked, meaning there was no way he could finish his job. The only way it would work was if those around him helped, and that meant someone had to give him access to fire bending. That was when I was convinced that Zuko should do the job.

"So, this means that you knew Avatar Roku all along? That you had conversations with him in the Spirit World?" Zuko stuttered, his eyes still a mix of surprise and fear, "When did this first happen? And why didn't you tell anyone about this?"

I took a deep breath before looking Zuko straight in the eyes. "I first went into the Spirit World when I lost my battle at Ba Sing Se. I was so struck by grieve of losing Lu Ten that I would do anything to get him back. That was when I was pulled into the Spirit World, by none other than Avatar Roku himself," I explained, "He told me he had been observing everything, and was powerless to act to fix a mess that he blamed himself for. That was when I found out that he and Fire Lord Sozin had a history together, and now their histories would be converged."

Zuko's expression changed a little, almost like he was starting to absorb the information. "When Lu Ten died and Ozai ascended the throne, I was too heartbroken to contest his claim. But in the process, I ended up stumbling across the vital information about you. Even though I always treated you like a son, seeing you as Lu Ten's little brother more than his cousin, I knew the task at hand was to make sure you didn't stray down the wrong path," I continued, thinking back to all the times I argued with Zuko during his journey of exile. Ozai would certainly not show that much patience with Zuko, but I kept telling myself that this was all for the best, and that these were the trials and tribulations that would make Zuko become who he was today.

Zuko mulled it over for a moment, but it was evident he still wasn't sure what was going on. "Assuming what you say is true, and that I am somehow destined to end the war, why raise the issue now? Why not raise it in the beginning, before my father banished me, just to save time and prevent me from going through all that pain?" Zuko demanded, pocketing the headpiece.

"The timing was not right during your banishment. Azula was clearly Ozai's favourite, and my brother wasn't one to take criticism from others," I responded, reminding Zuko of the tough times he had since his mother disappeared, "Partially it's also because I was in denial. For the longest time, I just wanted a good, happy retirement. I was content with guiding you along the way, and didn't want to think about the throne too much. I knew what the Fire Nation was doing was wrong, but I realized it wasn't the time for me or you to act. It wasn't until we got to Ba Sing Se that I decided to raise any issue with you at all regarding what choices you ought to make. And for this delay, I am truly sorry, my nephew."

Zuko pursed his lips, looking more determined to act than ever. "Things didn't work out the way they did because somehow, Azula came back into the picture," he observed, "Even when I was around the palace, she was going around making life miserable for me. And through this time, I was really angry with myself, not sure whether I was doing the right thing or not. But now I found out about this, I realized just what exactly is going on."

I lifted my head to look at Zuko again, this time seeing that Zuko was confident about what he had to do. "Avatar Roku told me that there would be an eclipse coming, and the young boy we were pursuing would arrive right at the Fire Nation's shores. That would be your chance to make the first move to restore the balance of the world." I leaned through the bars of my cell and grabbed Zuko gently in the shoulder, "I have faith in you, my nephew. On that day, I am certain you will do whatever it takes to right the wrongs of history once and for all."

My nephew looked me back, slowly nodding his head in agreement. I knew it would take a while before he would have the chance to plan for this event, but whatever the case, the only thing I could do was to have faith in him. As he left the cell, I realized I had a lot of planning to do as well. I had been working out in my cell in secret, just to get myself back into fighting shape for my escape. Once I got out of here, I was going to do my part to help the world as much as possible. Of course, it would mean getting some help from old friends, and hopefully they would all make it for this event. But whatever the case, history was about to change.  
________________________________________

**Zuko's POV**

I hurried into the throne room, where the long-awaited war meeting was to take place. I had to admit that after returning from Ember Island, I was really working on patching things up with Mai. Things between us were on the upswing before Uncle sent me that weird message, telling me I had to look up information on my ancestor. It turned out that I wasn't just related to the Fire Lords, but also Avatar Roku! I was extremely shocked, and for days I couldn't quite wrap my head around that concept. Uncle told me that it was because of this strange mix that I was always in strife, but that also made me the one most likely to cleanse the sins of the past. How could I do that when I couldn't even get close to the highest ranking officials?

But today, things seemed to be a bit different, as I was actually requested to attend this war meeting held by my father. Adding to my confusion from the Sozin and Roku talk with Uncle was that Mai unleashed a bombshell on me, claiming that Azula told her of this very war meeting. No one had told me of this meeting before, and for a while I thought I wasn't invited. To no one's surprise, Azula had to be all snarky about it, claiming that the reason I wasn't told was because I was expected to attend anyway. I thought she was taunting how Father didn't appreciate my presence, but when an attendant told me that he refused to start the meeting until I was present, I realized how serious this was.

"Don't worry about me, I'll keep myself busy," Mai called from the hallway outside the war room. Mai had been so fantastic to me these past few days, almost like she was my last hope for sanity in this increasingly crazy ride that had been my return to the Fire Nation. I hadn't told her anything about my history yet, nor had I told her about my visits with Uncle. I realized that it was too sensitive a topic to discuss, given the circumstances. I assured Uncle that I knew what was at stake, and that I would figure something out before the eclipse. But until then, the only thing I could do was take in as much information as possible, such as by attending this meeting.

"Welcome, Prince Zuko. We waited for you," my father greeted me, his strong voice echoing off the walls of this wide chamber in a haunting manner. I strolled through the long table at the centre, positioned the same way it was three years ago when I last attended. I took a quick glance around, trying to recognize faces from those years back. While a few generals from that meeting were still present here, some of whom glaring at me in frustration, most likely due to my tardiness, most people here were unfamiliar. I was guessing that since my father had a stronger grasp at the military controls, he probably replaced some of the older, retiring generals with those that were loyal to him. Seriously, why did I feel that things were about to get worse?

I quickly bowed to my father before taking a seat to his right. My mind was still blanked by the flurry of activity, so I barely absorbed anything when Father called on the first general to speak. All I heard was something about our forces being spread too thin and there were Earth Kingdom rebellions even though we conquered Ba Sing Se. But when I heard that the generals knew about the eclipse and would prepare for the invasion, I realized my plan had to be concocted more carefully. How could I approach the Avatar's team if all eyes would be set on defending our capital? And what would happen if their team did infiltrate in?

"Prince Zuko, you've been among the Earth Kingdom commons," my father called, suddenly turning the spotlight on me, "Do you think adding more troops could stop all these rebellions?" he asked. I swallowed hard, realizing that my daydreaming nearly got me into trouble again. Last time, it was because I spoke out of turn that the meeting ended poorly, but this time it might be for answering a question wrongly.

Taking a deep breath, I tried to supply an answer that would satisfy everyone, all the while revealing as little of what I knew as possible. "The people of the Earth Kingdom are proud and strong," I described, picking my words carefully, "They can endure anything as long as they have hope." Personally, I was hoping I could endure this meeting. The more I listened to this, the more I realized that this deep hole I was in was about to get deeper.

"Yes, you're right," my father agreed with me, "We ought to destroy their hope." My eyes increased in size just hearing that, wondering what cruel tactic my father would use. It wasn't what I was thinking about, convincing him to torture those earth benders even more. Frankly, I had to say I had some bonds with Earth Kingdom individuals. Song, Lee, Jin, even that crazy guy Jet, they all had some type of friendship with me. Seeing where my father was going with his logic, and knowing his cruel nature, I could tell they were in it for the long run now.

"I think you should take their precious hope, and the rest of their land, and burn it all to the ground," Azula stated from Father's left, her tone sadistic and sarcastic as usual. I nearly fell out of my seat, too shocked to speak after Azula's comment. If Father's idea of destroying their hope wasn't nasty enough, then Azula was about to take home the big prize. Razing their land from here all the way to Ba Sing Se? Did she realize how much damage that would cause?

My body was in a state of paralyzed shock as my father stepped off his throne, agreeing with Azula's viewpoint entirely. "Sozin's Comet is almost upon us, and on that day it'll endow us with the strength and power of a hundred suns. No bender will stand a chance against us," he commented, leaning over the long table. Recalling from history, the Air Nomads were extinct, with the exception of the Avatar, because Fire Lord Sozin used the comet to burn down all their temples. Now, I got a sick feeling in my stomach as I envisioned the same happening here.

"From our airships we will rain fire over their lands, a fire that will destroy everything," my father continued, climbing onto the maps and stepping over the geographical features of the Earth Kingdom, squishing them like they were mere insects, "And out of the ashes, a new world will be born, a world in which all the lands are Fire Nation, and I am the Supreme Ruler of everything!" he declared, raising his arms in victory. From my seat, I nearly wanted to throw up everything I ate from the last three days. My hands were sweaty, my skin clammy, and my throat dryer than the desert I crossed to get to Ba Sing Se. This plan was just pure evil.

As the generals all congratulated my father and further plotted with him on how to carry out this plan, I fought the urge inside to either storm out of the meeting or speak up against my father. Maybe it was because I recalled the results of the last time I spoke out, or maybe it was because I worked too hard to gain my father's love to lose it by doing something crazy, but whatever the case, I couldn't bring myself to resist this plan, even though I was absolutely against this madness. I felt nauseous hearing this, wondering how I could get out of this mess.

Even as I left the meeting, finding Mai and taking her home again, I still didn't feel right. "I was the perfect prince, the son my father wanted," I told Mai, "But I wasn't me." Somehow, I doubted Mai would understand, but right now there were bigger things on my plate. With this horrible thing about to happen, it only showed that Uncle was right, and I had to do whatever it took to stop this thing. If it meant going to the Avatar's side, then that was a risk I would take. I knew I had very little time to plan, given the eclipse was only days away, but if the world wanted to remain as four nations, then I better decide what I had to do to make things right again.


	28. Zuko, Part 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Each character grows up with a set of experiences unique to themselves. Watch each person describe what went through their minds and how they changed as they reacted to the world. These are their stories, these are their rites of passage.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: Michael DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko own Avatar.

**Zuko's POV**

There was a strange silence at the palace as I stepped back into my bedroom, removing my headpiece and changing out of my formal clothes. It was the day of the eclipse, and my father ordered a full-scale evacuation into underground bunkers. While there would be a few battalions of Fire Nation troops defending the capital city for the moment, all citizens and other military staff were to head below. Mai told me she would be down there, and would meet up with me once this was over, but I had a feeling that wouldn't be for a very long time.

With my mind still a mess. I unfurled a long piece of paper. I set it upon my desk and prepared ink and brush. Part of my departure from the Fire Nation to join the Avatar meant I had to separate from Mai, which was something I truly didn't want to do. She and I had such a great bond, to the point where not even Azula could tear us apart. But with what happened at the war meeting, there was no way I could continue sitting back while the world blew up around me. Right now, the most difficult thing seemed to be conveying in exact words what I wanted to tell Mai. "Dear Mai, I'm sorry you have to find out like this, but I'm leaving," I began, every single word stinging my heart. Why was it that by choosing the world I had to sacrifice my girlfriend?

After what seemed like a painstaking eternity, the letter was finally complete. I nearly felt a tear creep up to me as I rolled up to sheet and placed it on the side of my desk. I still had other things to gather before heading out, but my mind seemed anything but ready. Throughout the whole time, I kept thinking about how wrong this was. Only days ago I was completely happy here, feeling welcome, safe, and despite Azula's intrusions every now and then, protected. No one in their right mind would cast aside this life just to journey on the road again.

But this journey not only would affect the outcome of my life, but the lives of many people still struggling in this war. With so many lives at risk, letting this plan proceed wouldn't just be madness, it would be immoral. Putting on my cloak, I took my dual swords out and grabbed Mai's letter. Before heading off, I stepped up to a portrait containing the face of my mother. My mother, who I hadn't seen for years, and most likely dead, reminded me of all the things I stood for. When I was young, she would tell me how proud she was of me, as I never stopped fighting even when the odds were weak. She felt my actions showed character, relating it to me never backing down from my principles either.

I nearly chuckled as I how hard it was to fight for my principles when I didn't even know what they were until now. All this time when I thought I did the right thing, it was actually the wrong thing. Mom's death meant no one was there to guide me on the right path, but I soon found that advisor in Uncle, whose words strangely resembled my mother's. He told me to never give up, and he never gave up on me either, and all I did in return was break his heart. I made a mental note to address this before I left, as I still had to rush this letter to Mai's house first.

To no one's surprise, the streets were empty and silent, with only the occasional breeze of hot wind whistling through. I quickly entered Mai's house and into her bedroom, with no servant being there to greet me. Mai told me her servants went to the bunker with her, just to be safe. As I made it to Mai's bed, my feet felt heavier than boulders. She kept a picture of us together there, making me realize how much more this would hurt her. "I'm sorry, Mai," I whispered, putting the note on her pillow. I stood there for a couple of minutes, trying to erase the impending sadness. There was no way this hole in my heart would refill anytime soon.

I made my way back to the palace, returning to my chamber one more time to gather all the needed materials. After I left, there would probably be no coming back here for a long time, almost like I was placing myself in exile again. My main plan was to deal with my father, telling him what I was going to do, before rescuing my uncle. As I put on all my weapons, I glanced at my mother's portrait one more time. "I know I've made some bad choices, but today, I'm going to set things right," I vowed, taking a deep breath before doing a full kowtow to her. My true journey of redemption would start today. Only a few people, myself included, knew of my father's actual location, and it was time I took advantage of that privilege.

I slipped into the underground bunker and made my way to the Fire Lord's chamber. There was rumbling from above as I ventured deeper in, signalling that the invasion had begun. Part of the advantage of living in an extinct volcano was that there were natural underground passages within, allowing one to access the heart of the volcano. It was purposely decided that the Fire Lord's bunker would not be overly elaborate, as a way to mislead our enemies, should they make their way down here. But for me, the Avatar's group wasn't the true enemy anymore.

Finally, I was at my father's door, an unassuming grey metallic entrance with no special decorations whatsoever. My heart raced to indescribable rates as I thought about what would happen here. Last time I truly confronted him, I ended up walking out with a scar on my face. But this time, even if there was to be physical damage, I would stand my ground. There was absolutely no fire bending involved right now, with the eclipse about to begin. Both of us would be incapacitated, and there was no way he could hurt me. Taking a deep breath, I murmured to myself, "I'm ready to face you." With that, I slowly stepped forward and opened the door.

I caught my father sipping a cup of tea, all the while sitting comfortably behind a line of guards. "Why are you here?" he demanded, giving me a suspicious look. Normally, that look would get me scurrying away in fear, but no such thing today.

"I'm here to tell the truth," I replied, my muscles tensing as I stared him down. My father seemed somewhat amused by that idea, dismissing the guards and leaving me alone with him. Well, at least that was a good start, given it was truly a one-on-one battle should he attack me. "First of all, in Ba Sing Se, it was Azula who took down the Avatar, not me," I stated, bringing him back to the set of lies Azula fed him when I first returned home. I nearly wanted to say that it was my father's own gullibility and blind patronage to my sister that led him to believing her lies. "The Avatar's not dead, he survived. In fact, he's probably leading this invasion. He could be on his way here right now."

"Get out!" My father roared, shooting out of his seat, "Get out of my sight right now if you know what's good for you." Wow, that got a reaction out of him. So finally he realized his precious fire bending prodigy wasn't the loyal little princess that he expected her to be? Wait until he heard about what was really going on; he would really blow a gasket then!

"That's another thing, as I'm not taking orders from you anymore," I retorted, just as he slowly stood up. Pulling out my dual swords, I forced him back into his seat. Pulling the reversal on him, I ordered, "I am going to speak my mind, and you are going to listen."

My father begrudgingly took a seat, his eyes shooting death glares at me. But I was not about to let him intimidate me anymore, opting to stand up for my beliefs and what was right for the world. "For so long, all I wanted was for you to love me, to accept me. I thought it was my honour that I wanted, but really, I was just trying to please you. You, my father, who banished me just for talking out of turn. My father, who challenged me, a thirteen-year-old boy, to an Agni Kai," I stated my grievances. He and Azula might call this pointless emotional rambling, but I didn't care about that now. "How can you possibly justify a duel with a child?" I challenged.

To no one's surprise, my father insisted the duel and the subsequent exile was to teach me respect. "It was cruel, and it was wrong," I shouted, pointing my right sword at him, "I've learned everything, and I've had to learn it on my own. Growing up, we were taught that the Fire Nation was the greatest civilization in history. And somehow, the war was our way of sharing our greatness with the rest of the world. What an amazing lie that was! The people of the world are terrified by the Fire Nation. They don't see our greatness, they hate us, and we deserve it!"

There was no reaction from the Fire Lord. While he continued staring emotionlessly, I pointed out the result of us committing these horrendous crimes against humanity. "We've created an era of fear in the world, and if we don't want the world to destroy itself, we ought to replace it with an era of peace and kindness," I concluded, my words echoing from the walls.

My father laughed in my face as he heard this idea, ridiculing it with unbelievably cruel words. "Your uncle has gotten to you, hasn't he?" he sneered. It took every ounce of energy not to attack him on the spot. The reason Uncle was in prison right now was because of my father.

"He has," I responded, turning anger into confidence. Uncle taught me more about life than the individual before me. "After I leave here today, I'm going to free Uncle Iroh from his prison, and I'm going to beg for his forgiveness. He's the one who's been a real father to me."

Taking a deep breath, I released the last bit of information, one that would change the Fire Nation forever. "But I've come to a more important decision. I'm going to join the Avatar, and I'm going to help him defeat you." This was the same choice Uncle gave me when we were in Ba Sing Se, only to have me royally mess it up. Now, with the eclipse and invasion simultaneously happening, hopefully I could set things right. I doubted anyone, including Uncle, would be happy to see me in this state, but I had to do it for everyone's sakes.

My father's defiance in my face only proved he wouldn't accept this easily. Claiming that neither of us had fire bending, but I still had my swords, he again challenged me to fight him. But I wasn't about to fall for the temptation. "I know my own destiny," I replied, "Taking you down is the Avatar's destiny." With that, I sheathed my swords and bid him farewell.

I could hear my father taunting me, claiming I was a coward by challenging him during an eclipse when our powers were down. Again, I knew better than to listen to that nonsense. There were bigger issues at hand, such as freeing Uncle Iroh. I still hoped Uncle would forgive my actions at Ba Sing Se, and assuming he did, I really hoped Uncle could help me find the Avatar's group and convinced them to accept me. Uncle seemed to get along with most people in their group quite well, so surely he had some way of swaying them, right?

Suddenly, my father unleashed some words that I couldn't possibly ignore. "Do you want to know what happened to your mother?" he suggested, freezing me on the spot. Given that she disappeared for so long, she must have died, right? What information was he withholding?

I slowly turned around, facing my father again as he described what happened on the last night my mother was still around. "My father, Fire Lord Azulon, had commanded me to do the unthinkable to you, my own son, and I was going to do it," he explained, referring to that final meeting between them. I still recalled how Azula demonstrated her fire bending skills so well, but I flubbed the test of reciting our nation's history to him. So Azula wasn't lying after all when she told me I was going to be killed that day. My father wasn't just cruel, he was a monster!

"Your mother found out, and swore she would protect you at any cost," my father continued, his voice monotonous but laced with acid, "She knew I wanted the throne, so she proposed a plan, a plan in which I would become Fire Lord, and your life would be spared. Your mother did vicious, treasonous things that night. She knew the consequences and accepted them. For her treason, she was banished," he concluded, showing no remorse for what happened.

The same, however, couldn't be said of me. I broke a tear when I heard there was a chance that she was alive. So my mother gave up everything just to keep me alive, and I messed up my own life just to please this despicable human being? How many more disgusting things might have occurred had my mother didn't step in? How could I have been so ungrateful to those who supported me when this was how far my mother went? This only strengthened my will to set things right, as not only must I redeem myself before Uncle, but also before my mother.

But my father was far from done, and based on how I felt my fire bending chi getting stronger, I realized the eclipse was ending and fire bending was about to return. "Now I realize that banishment was far too merciful a penalty for treason," he stated, "Your penalty will be far steeper." With that, he whipped his arms around, lightning snaking out his hands. In one smooth gesture, he shot the bolts towards me, enough to send me reeling back.

Luckily, I brought my hand up in time, absorbing the energy and letting it pass my body. I hadn't told anyone about Uncle's lightning redirection technique, and this was the first time I ever attempted it. Uncle warned me how dangerous it was to store that much energy in my body, and I was in total fright as the power coursed through me. Twisting around, I sent the electricity out my other hand. Earlier, I told my father I would leave his life in the Avatar's hands. But right now, if I didn't take him out, I would be taken out. Besides, after what he did to my mother, he should get a taste of his own medicine. Aiming at the throne, I shot the lightning back.

I didn't even bother to see the results as a huge explosion rocked the area. I hurried out of the chamber, through the tunnels and towards the prison. My mind was still flustered from the notion that my mother might still be alive, but I had to cast that aside for now. Uncle Iroh was the main priority here, and I couldn't let anything happen to him before I got there. As I raced into the dark, damp building, heading straight for Uncle's cell, I realized there were injured guards all around me. What happened in this place? "Uncle," I called as I reached his room.

Oddly enough, the place was in tatters, with the bars of the cell being nothing more than a twisted wreck. There was one guard lying at the side of the cell, dazed and beaten. What if there was a fight, and this guy either tried to hurt Uncle, or couldn't defend Uncle from whoever came in? Grabbing the guard by his collar, I demanded, "Where is my uncle?"

The guard was weak and tired, but still managed to eke out, "He's gone. He busted himself out. I've never seen anything like it. He was like a one-man army," he stuttered. Well, at least that was one piece of good news, with Uncle at least surviving the eclipse. There wasn't any time to find out where he was, and with fire benders now out and about in the city, the only chance I had was to get to the Avatar's group before they left.

I got out just in time to see our Fire Nation airships bombarding the shores, presumably at whatever equipment the Avatar's team had left to get out of this place. I recalled that the Avatar had a Sky Bison, meaning he could fly away if need be. The only thing fast enough to catch him was our air fleet, and the only equipment small enough was a war balloon. With that thought, I raced to the nearest base and boarded one, piloting it all by myself as I took to the skies. I might have thought this plan through thoroughly, but it was evident that it failed nonetheless. With Uncle missing and no one in the Fire Nation I could turn to, I was truly all alone.

________________________________________

**Zuko's POV**

"I've changed, and I'm good now," I stuttered to the Avatar and his three friends. I followed the Avatar's Sky Bison to the Western Air Temple, which, coincidentally, was the first place Uncle and I went to after my exile. It was fairly ironic that journey led to three years of fruitless searching, only for me to run into the Avatar again in the same spot.

"Oh, and I can teach fire bending, to you," I continued, gesturing at the young air bender to the far left of their formation. My hands shook violently as I emphasized my coming in peace, albeit not very successfully. I didn't expect it to be easy, with how many old wounds this opened up. For half a year, I harassed this group nonstop, to the point where some might have lost their lives. Now, to convince them I was good and to be trusted, I could imagine how difficult it was.

There was no surprise at all when the group unleashed on me simultaneously, giving me a cacophony of angry words ranging from trust, to hunting them down, and capturing the Avatar, all of which I was guilty of doing. Seeing their reaction, I knew I wasn't having too much success here. My goodness, how could I swing the argument my way?

"I've done some good things," I pointed out, looking at the large furry creature lying peacefully to my right, "I could have stolen your bison in Ba Sing Se, but I set him free. That's something." I already received a huge lick from the bison when I first approached the group, and I just got its tongue splashing against my backside again. Even the bison itself agreed with me, and the Avatar bonded closely with it, so that would show them my point, right?

Their earth bender agreed with that act, pointing out the bison did seem to like me, but I was still having trouble cracking their armour. They even claimed I poured honey all over myself just to get licked by a bison. What? Would I ever do something that crazy? But then again, I was crazy enough to send an assassin after them, so maybe they weren't too far off...

Wait, shouldn't have said that out loud. Now they brought the full load on me, pointing out how I invaded their village, how I stole the water bending necklace from them, and how I kidnapped certain individuals at various times. I took several deep breaths to clear my head, but I knew the situation was getting the best of me. The two girls claimed the assassin locked them in jail and tried to blow up a town, making things go from bad to worse. As I scanned the scene, I realized the Avatar didn't speak. "Why aren't you saying anything?" I asked gently, "You once said you thought we could be friends," I pointed out the Blue Spirit incident. I reacted angrily to him after we left Zhao's prison together, but would the Avatar still feel the same way now?

The boy glanced at his group, and then back at me like a metronome as nervous beads now raced down my head. The boy's grey eyes were restless, almost like he was torn between his team and me. I doubted he had any fire bending experience, and that was one factor he had to consider. But could practicality of having a fire bending teacher outweigh our tainted history?

Unfortunately, the Avatar's verdict was in the negative. "There's no way we can trust you after everything you've done," he spat, his eyes now flashing in anger, "We'll never let you join us." With that conclusion, I knew my mission was pretty much dead on arrival.

By then, nothing I said convinced them. Even when I offered myself as their prisoner, they still wouldn't take me. Their water bender was harsh enough to douse me with her water, as each set of eyes stared murderously at me. It didn't take a genius to figure out that I was no longer welcome here. I slowly climbed out of the temple, drenched and dishonoured. I hated to say it, but this equalled my father stripping me of my title in terms of humiliation.

I retreated back to my camp, trying hard not to yell in frustration. I didn't doubt their anger at me, but I seriously hated the way I handled their anger. I understood that being honest to them was better than feeding them more lies, but telling them I sent an assassin after them was just plain stupid! Why didn't I just slide that blame to Azula or someone like that? Sheesh! With nothing more I could do, the only thing I could think of was set up camp and rest for the night. I had a feeling that their group would be staying here for the next little while, so I was bound to have another chance to reach out to them. With their defeat at the Fire Nation capital still fresh on their minds, maybe they were just having trouble facing up to their failure there?

As I lied down on my sheets, staring at the shadows flickering over my tent, I thought about how I used to be a messed-up person thinking only about myself. I was so obsessed with capturing that boy that I didn't care for the wellbeing of others, including my uncle and my crew. Seeing how poorly I treated everyone, forcing them through life and death situations and hurling an immense amount of insults and putdowns at them, I wasn't surprised that I was now subject to this treatment by the Avatar's group. Funny how karma always got back at you, huh?

But at the same time, I realized how this would truly test my mettle, not just as a prince, but as a person. The current world was full of mistrust and bad feelings, and there was no way we could achieve peace without finding some common ground. Considering the Avatar's group was as diverse as it would get, I would say this was a good first test for me. As my mother said, I was a fighter, and wouldn't back down for anything. It'd be cowardly if I backed down now.

Suddenly, I heard a slight rustling from the woods. "Who's there?" I demanded, leaping out of my sleeping bag. The Avatar's group was pretty steamed at me earlier, and it wouldn't put it past me that they might be on the attack. Moreover, with me being branded as a traitor by the Fire Nation, I was fearful that Azula somehow tracked me here, and was sending the army after me this instant. Hearing the sounds getting louder, I hurled a fire whip that way. "Stay back!"

But the second I heard the voice yelping in pain, I knew I made yet another mistake. It was their earth bender, and she just took a dive to the ground. "You burned my feet!" she yelled in pain, turning around and trying frantically to crawl away. Geez, I was really on a roll today, wasn't I? Was there anyone that I hadn't insulted with my words or actions yet?

"I'm sorry, it was a mistake!" I called, trying to dodge the clumps of earth she now threw at me with her hands, "Let me help you!" I finally got a hand on her shoulder, flipping her onto her back. Even in the darkness, I saw her feet becoming bright red, which wasn't a good sign.

But putting that blind girl on her back was an even worse sign for me, as that meant she had full access to the earth below. Before long, a huge pillar shot up from under me, sending me straight into the air before landing a short distance away. My entire body was in numbing pain, and all I could do was keep hollering at the girl, who disappeared into the night. As if her team didn't harass me enough, now this was truly embarrassing. "Why am I so bad at being good?" I shouted. At this rate, they might just come after me right now!

I had a relatively sleepless night as that vision swirled in my mind, wondering if I just severed my last tie to the Avatar's group. I was a traitor to the Fire Nation, and sworn enemy of the Avatar's group. It was times like these I really wished Uncle was around, because I could use his convoluted wisdom right now. Unfortunately, until further notice, this was something that I had to do on my own. By the time morning broke through the dark sky, I pretty much wasted all night going back and forth and in circles in my thoughts.

But whatever sleeplessness I had was jolted away by the sounds of battle, with rocks rumbling and ground shaking throughout the canyon. I raced down to the air temple, only to see that same assassin I hired attacking the Avatar's group with reckless abandon. Either he took my words literally when I ordered that he ended the boy, or he no longer acted under my command. With the Avatar's group distrusting me, how would this make them feel? Getting desperate, I jumped into the scene, blocking the assassin's path and ordering him to stop attacking.

Well, how rude! As if the Avatar's group tossing me wasn't enough, now the assassin was doing the same to me? I slowly picked myself up, dodging more debris as he shot another blast at the group below. At this rate, this whole place would be destroyed. Was there anything that I could do to stop this madness? As I rushed at him again, this time I got clutched right at the collar. "I'll pay you double to stop!" I shouted. Cheesy, but whatever worked to halt him, right?

Apparently, I was wrong. In my attempt to get free, I spun around and kicked the assassin right in the chest. Now I was at the receiving end of his blasts, blocking his highly precise shooting with my fire. Before I knew it, I ran out of room, skidded off the edged and hanging onto a vine underneath the platform. "Kind of hard to climb back up when this whole place is shaking," I muttered to myself as the assassin unleashed another series of shots, the resulting aftershocks threatening to shake loose my grip.

Just then, there was a huge explosion, the largest one yet, tearing a large section of the temple adjacent to me right off the cliff side. I had no idea what just happened, but I couldn't hear the assassin anymore. The only thing I saw was a glitter falling into the gorge below, most likely a piece of the assassin's armour. I was in total shock, but it seemed like the Avatar's group really defeated him. With no more blasts coming my way, I pulled myself back to the platform, crossing whatever rubble was left of that section before sliding down to meet the Avatar. It was only right that I came clean with them all, and truly explained myself to them.

Several sets of eyes bore into my soul, but none more important than the grey pair belonging to a certain bald boy. I didn't know how to describe it, but he seemed almost thankful that I tried to stop the assassin for them. "I've been through a lot the past few years, and it's been hard," I recounted, thinking of all the times I was hunting this boy down, "I thought I had lost my honour, and that somehow my father could return it to me. But I know now that no one can give you your honour, as it's something you earn for yourself by choosing to do what's right."

I slowly glanced around the formation, reading their faces one-by-one. With the exception of the female water bender I fought so many times before, I could see their expressions softening. My eyes stopped at the young earth bender now sitting on a lump of rock, her feet still swollen from my fire. "I'm sorry for what I did to you," I stated, giving her a quick bow, "It was an accident. Fire can be dangerous and wild, so as a fire bender, I have to be more careful when I control my bending, so I don't hurt people unintentionally."

Just then, in the biggest gesture so far, the Avatar himself approached me. Referring to my comment about being careful with fire, he told me of an incident in which he rushed into fire bending before the other elements, and burned someone he cared for. "But now I know that you understand how easy it is to hurt the people you love," he continued, oddly mirroring how my life had been this whole time. I had hurt a lot of people, mainly because I wasn't careful with my words or actions. So if the Avatar himself went through a similar trial, then maybe we had more in common than we originally thought. "I'd like you to teach me," he requested.

Before long, we bowed to each other, realizing that I was officially part of their group. The Avatar, Aang, introduced the others to me, inviting them to comment on his decision to allow me to join. Toph, the young girl I burned, was fairly accepting, claiming she wanted a chance to get me back for burning my feet. I could tell sarcasm in her voice, so dealing with her shouldn't be too much of a problem. Next was Sokka, the male water tribe warrior, who only cared for ending the war, and didn't mind me in the group as long as it served the goal. That was another easy pass, given I wouldn't go out of my way to cause him trouble. Finally, Aang set his eyes on the last person, Katara, the water bending girl. Out of everyone in the group, she had the most suspicion against me, and battled me individually the most. Could she let her anger go?

The fume etched onto her face said all, but despite her grudge, she was willing to go along with the Avatar's decision. I was totally overjoyed, wiping the cold sweat rushing down my face as I promised the group I wouldn't let them down. As they went their separate ways, I couldn't be happier with myself, realizing that for the first time ever, a plan that I concocted all by myself had went right. Despite all the failures in capturing the boy, and all the failures during my time in exile in the Earth Kingdom, I finally broke through for the first time. Things were looking up, and hopefully they would continue improving as we tried to end the war.

________________________________________

**Zuko's POV**

"I don't believe it," I whispered, watching the huge fire burning before my eyes. After I joined the Avatar's group, I immediately proceeded to teaching him fire bending. It wasn't a good start, as his teammates kept coming around, either taunting my efforts or making snarky remarks about our lessons. I could really do without being called a jerk bender, that's for sure.

But above all that, I came to a horrifying conclusion: I was losing my ability to bend. Throughout my life, I was taught in the Fire Nation that rage, anger, and hate fuelled the ferocity of our fire. But ever since I started teaching Aang, I no longer had that in me. For so long, Aang was the Fire Nation's biggest threat, and hunting him down was a main priority. Now that I was with him, I no longer felt hatred within me, losing whatever drive I used to have. That naturally decreased my powers, leading to a terrible situation where Aang might have to get a new teacher.

Because of this, Aang and I decided to travel to the original source of bending, on the advice of Toph. And here we were, in the ruins of the ancient Sun Warriors, whom I believed were extinct for over a century. Even though they were supposed to be long gone, their booby traps still worked pretty well, as Aang and I spent our whole day stuck in some gooey substance. We did a crazy dragon dance in front of some statues and a golden egg-shaped treasure appeared. Well, at least I took initiative and grabbed it, rather than let Aang go wishy-washy and babble aimlessly. How could he be the all-powerful Avatar if he couldn't even make up his mind?

"You will each take a piece of it to the masters, to show your commitment to the sacred art of fire bending," the Sun Warrior chief explained, his tone stern and uncompromising. Given my family history, I wasn't really welcome here. Fire Lord Sozin felt it was a great way to attain status by defeating dragons, the most powerful fire benders in the world. The last dragon was supposedly killed by my uncle Iroh, who did it before he went on his siege at Ba Sing Se. The chief told us the masters would judge us worthy and teach us, or judge us unworthy and burn us to ashes on the spot. How come I had a bad feeling that they would do the latter to us?

The large man pulled out a fireball from the source, splitting it into two and placing one in each palm. "This ritual teaches the essence of Sun Warrior philosophy," he continued, handing the flames to us, "You must maintain a constant heat. The flame will go out if you make it too small. Make it too big, and you might lose control." With that, I calmly took it into my hands.

Aang on the other hand, was nervous beyond belief. His hands shook uncontrollably as he reached for the fire. Earlier, he told me he was afraid of fire because he once burned Katara, and from that moment on he vowed never to bend fire again. But as the Avatar, part of his repertoire was to bend fire, whether he liked it or not. So unless he was willing to fight my father one element short, he better start getting used to dealing with fire.

Slowly, Aang allowed the chief to slide the flame into his hands, until it finally balanced onto his palms. "It's like a little heartbeat," he stuttered, his fearful expression now replaced by a mix of awe and apprehensiveness. Well, at least that was a start.

"Fire is life, not just destruction," the chief responded, and I knew he directed that at me as well, "You will take your flame up there," He pointed to a strange, two-peaked mountain, "The cave of the masters is beneath that rock." Suddenly our test became more complicated. Not only must we balance our force with the fire, but we must also navigate through the terrain. At least we were learning something new about fire bending. Hey, Aang was the one who insisted we went on this trip with an upbeat attitude, so maybe it was all worth it?

Aang and I traversed through forests, open grasslands, and up the mountain side, all the while staying relatively silent. All my life I saw him as the enemy, nothing more than my prize to regaining my honour. But while my honour was lost for three years, his was lost for a hundred years. His disappearance from the world was the whole reason this brutal war continued the way it did. If I thought I had it hard going through all that suffering, how would that compared to Aang, who had to see all the destruction all the while knowing that he couldn't do a thing about it? There was no way I could compare our cases, as what happened to Aang was much more traumatizing than what happened to me. That's why my main mission right now was to help him end this war, and allowed him to establish a new harmony in living together.

Just as we neared the peaks, I saw Aang lagging behind, struggling to climb the rocks while keeping his fire intact. Sighing, I realized the main thing he had to do right now was to let go of his fear of fire. "Your flame will go out because it's too small. You're too timid," I stated, looking down the hills at the bald boy, who was still fretting about not being able to control the fire, "You can do it, I know you can. You're a talented kid."

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, we reached the pinnacle of our destination. There before us was a huge staircase leading to a horizontal platform that linked the two peaks, each with a cavernous opening that led to the masters. The Sun Warriors were already gathered before us, and the chief approached to give us final instructions. I swallowed hard as he again reminded me that it was my ancestors who killed off the dragons, knowing that the masters might not be too pleased to see me. But more shockingly, even Aang wasn't immune from their criticism either, as the chief pointed out Aang's absence from the world was what allowed the Fire Nation to kill the dragons. Well, way to point out our tainted pasts, huh?

In sequence, the Sun Warriors took a bit of fire from Aang and me, turning them into large rings as they got into a circular formation ending at the base of the stairs. Tribal drums were brought out, placed on the ground before each bearer of the fire ring. When we were led to the front of the steps, Aang wanted to back out right now. He claimed he learned more about fire bending than ever before, but I insisted we ventured ahead. "We're going to meet these masters and find out what's so great about them." I was more concerned with righting the wrongs of my country. "I think we can take these guys in a fight, whoever they are," I assured Aang.

Drummers and chanters sounded off simultaneously as Aang and I climbed the stairs. I took each step carefully, the sheer age of this structure made me wonder what kept it standing all this time. We silently reached the dizzying height of the platform, staring at the two caves located ominously on our sides. A voice below instructed us to present our flames. Well, this was it. Sink or swim, it was all down to this act. I turned to the cave on the right while Aang did so likewise to the one on the left. We bowed our heads in humility and offered the flame. Masters, you could come out now! Feel free to teach whatever it was that you wanted us to learn.

A loud crunch from the caves shocked Aang into running at me, wondering what was happening. I looked around, my insides coiling as well, but there wasn't a person to be found. Just as I was about to tell Aang to stay concentrated, the boy was back again. "Zuko, my fire went out," he stated desperately, "Give me some of yours."

I tried holding Aang off, insisting that he tried making some for himself, but he kept coming at me. "Stop cheating off me!" I yelled, all the while Aang accused me of being stingy. Our voices really echoed off the walls, to the point where I believed the Sun Warriors below us could hear. Boy, how would the masters react when they saw two guys wrestling each other at the pedestal fighting over a small fireball? They would roast us alive, that's for sure.

By the time our wrestling match ended, Aang was all over my back, his arms underneath mine while staring at me from over my shoulder. Despite the awkward posture, the bigger issue was evident: we lost the last bit of flame in the struggle. Now, with only our bare hands, we were at the mercy of the masters. Two eyes that glowed in the dark flashed at us, before the master shot out from the cave. I was in complete awe, as the master wasn't a person, but a dragon! The red beast snaked out from the opening and flew around us in a circle. This was followed by a blue dragon, identical in appearance to the red one, who followed suit and flew around in the opposite direction. Now we were in the spinning hub known as the dragons' serpentine bodies, not sure what to do as they continued their pattern. What could this all mean?

As the strange scene continued, I heard Aang, who stood a short distance away, make a strange request. "I think we're supposed to do the Dragon Dance with them," he whispered, referring to the crazy movement we did at the treasure room before we got booby-trapped. "Let's just try it, okay?" he insisted. Even though I thought Aang was crazy, I somehow agreed to it.

Aang and I stood back-to-back, going around our halves of the platform in a circle before meeting back in the middle. I took each step carefully, positioning my body like the statues in the treasure room. I could catch from the corner of my eye the red dragon flying parallel to me, almost mimicking my every move. With each swing, slide, and duck, I was in synch with the creature, almost like we were one. What was the dragon trying to tell me?

By the time Aang and I finished the routine, the two dragons stared ominously at us. Even though fire was the heat element, I felt shivers up my spine. The two dragons then perched below the platform, their mouths aiming right at us as judgment time arrived. Before I could even shield myself, a fire tornado shot up, covering us entirely and cooking this place. Were the Fire Prince and the Avatar about to be roasted alive by the two original fire benders in the world?

Oddly enough, the fire didn't touch our bodies at all. In fact, when I opened my eyes, I felt no ferocity or anger in that fire. Rather, the flames were beautiful as they reached into the evening sky, creating colours that I never envisioned seeing before. It was then that I realized the masters' fire was radically different than what the Fire Nation was used to. It wasn't about rage or hate, but a celebration of life. Fire represented life, and the diversity of colours I saw in there was all about how each culture became a part of life. There was no battling between each one for power, but a melding of sorts, making our differences becoming one. As the vortex disappeared, the dragons flying back into their caves, I whispered to Aang, "I understand."

We slowly descended the stairs, still too shaken to say anything more. Aang and I both agreed there was new meaning to fire bending. As the Sun Warrior chief approached us, I asked him why the dragons were still alive. "My uncle Iroh said he faced the last dragon, and killed it."

Apparently, my uncle was lying, at least according to the chief. Uncle did indeed face the dragons, but they deemed him worthy and taught him the essence of fire bending. "He lied to protect them," I concluded. That would also explain why Uncle was able to be such a powerful fire bender, despite living most of his life without any anger or frustration. Now, thinking back to his lessons, I truly regretted not listening to his advice on fire bending.

I also came to another conclusion, and that was fire bending involved having an inner sun of some sort, serving as our energy to guide us. I lost my fire bending because I lost the only thing that guided me all those years: hunting Aang down. "But now, I have a new drive. I have to help you defeat my father and restore balance to the world," I declared to Aang. With that, I shot a fist out, this time unleashing the biggest fire blast I had seen in years. I was no longer angry, but still powerful. The dragons did me a good thing, and I would never forget their lesson.

But more importantly, I glanced over at Aang, who mimicked my move. And this time, there was fire coming from his palm, lighting up the sky and enough for me to see the huge smile on his face. Whatever the case, the Fire Prince and the Avatar were back, and there would be no stopping us in achieving our goal of ending this war.

________________________________________

**Sokka's POV**

"Oh good, you guys have met," I approached Zuko and Suki mopping up a corner. I was embarking on what I considered the be the craziest adventure I had ever gone on, going into a Fire Nation maximum security prison known as the Boiling Rock to rescue my father. Just like Aang, who felt he failed the world yet again after our botched invasion, I too felt I failed all our allies. It was my decision to stay in the Fire Nation capital rather than evacuated that led to them being captured, and it was only right that I alone righted this wrong. As Zuko would always say when he was still capturing Aang, I wanted to restore my honour. The original plan was to sneak out of the Western Air Temple on Appa in the middle of the night, but things quickly changed.

"Actually, we kind of met a long time ago," Suki pointed out, eyeing Zuko suspiciously, "You kind of burned down my village." Zuko somehow invited himself along, insisting we used his war balloon instead of Appa. I wasn't too keen on having him around, since I didn't want this to affect anyone else. But when said war balloon crashed into the prison, we were forced to work together. Surprisingly, Zuko was very cooperative, showing me where to get guard uniforms just to blend in, and asking around to see if my father was here. Unfortunately, he wasn't, but we did manage to find Suki, and I was intent on freeing her as well.

"Oh, sorry about that. Nice to see you again," Zuko stuttered, recalling his invasion of Kyoshi Island way back when. Unfortunately, Zuko's disguise was shot down when I was in Suki's prison cell, meaning he was now a prisoner as well. The only thing I could do right now was to make sure they all got out safely. Earlier, I went to a set of isolation rooms known as the coolers, which were so cold that a regular fire bender couldn't possibly fire bend inside. Any unruly prisoner would be thrown in there for a period of time, just to incapacitate them for a while. But with the war balloon destroyed, that might be our only way out.

"I checked out the coolers again," I explained, pulling them further into the corner, "They are completely insulated, sealed to keep the cold in. To keep the cold in, they have to keep the heat out, right? It's a perfect boat for getting through the boiling water." I further described how there was a blind spot between two guard towers, letting us push the cooler down the hill and into the water. As long as we didn't make a sound, the plan should work perfectly.

Just then, what I didn't want to happen happened, as a prisoner overheard me. I recalled him as the prisoner who I helped throw into the coolers, a large man by the name of Chit Sang. He somehow was in the right place at the right time, and heard everything we said. Insisting that we let him in or he would inform the warden, I realized we had no choice. Pulling out a wrench, here was when Zuko really came in handy. Based on the way Zuko survived the cold at the North Pole, there was no way he couldn't stay in the cooler for long enough to unbolt it. He had been really great working with Aang in learning fire bending, and I had faith in him in working with me to get out of this place. "It's in your hands now," I reminded the fire bender.

Chit Sang and Zuko then decided to stage a fake fight in which Zuko would do a minimal amount of fire bending. Since fire bending was against the rules, Zuko would be thrown into the cooler where he could work his magic. Indeed, all went well as Zuko unleashed a fire fist at Chit Sang's feet. As Zuko got hauled away, I pulled Suki and Chit Sang aside again, informing them to meet at the blind spot at a specific time later in the day. If Zuko could make this work, then we would be home free. Think how happy everyone would be when Suki came to the air temple!

Slowly following the guards leading Zuko away, I thought about how crazy this whole thing was. We barely had enough time to breathe at the Western Air Temple when Zuko showed up, and naturally none of us trusted him. Toph was surprisingly warm to him, claiming he deserved a second chance, contrary to what we all thought. But when we saw Zuko defend us against the Combustion Man, that was when opinions started changing. Maybe having Zuko around wasn't a bad idea, and it was okay to start trusting him again. He did bond well with Toph, and later on Aang, who went to the Sun Warriors with him to learn fire bending, and he hadn't done anything to make us suspect him of turning on us again. Maybe Toph was right, and that we did let our emotions get in the way when he first came to us. So if this plan worked out, Zuko would have my undying gratitude when we got back to the temple.

But the temple also brought up another issue: my sister. I had never seen Katara this angry at a person before, to the point where she would take every chance possible to belittle that individual. I understood that she took our mother's death personally, and Zuko did once betray Katara in Ba Sing Se. But for me, I didn't think this could continue any longer, not when our goal was to work together to end the war. How could we work as one if we were busy fighting one another? If they still couldn't resolve their issues, then I would volunteer as their mediator, without any question. It was the very least I could do to repay Zuko for helping me, and perhaps allowed me to mend some fences, given I was personally affected by Mom's death too.

I waited until there was no one around before approaching Zuko's cooler. Opening the door, Zuko showed me all the nuts and bolts wrapped up in his prisoner's garb. But before I could even speak, a couple of guards came by. Zuko lunged out to close the door, but left a sliver open to hear what they were saying. Apparently, new prisoners were coming, and they included war prisoners. "War prisoners, it could be your father," Zuko pointed out, "Are we going ahead with the plan or are we waiting another night?" he asked, putting me in a sticky dilemma.

I thought about it for a long time, realizing that staying here for a slim chance that my dad would appear would mean compromising Suki's freedom. But if I came all this way with only saving my dad in mind, was it right to let this chance go? It really ate away at me as my mind twisted and turned, realizing that each decision I made I was going to sacrifice someone.

But with Chit Sang and other prisoners around, it wasn't worth the risk. If they didn't get out of here, then our plan would be in flames for sure. Deciding to go, I asked Zuko to help me pull the cooler out from the side of the building, slowly rolling it down the hill where everyone else would be waiting. "If I had just cut my losses in the invasion, maybe we wouldn't be in this mess," I concluded. Chit Sang then appeared, introducing his two friends to us and hopping into the cooler. I gathered my belongings at a nearby rock, all the while adding, "Maybe sometimes it's better to call it quits before you fail." It was my brashness and refusal to quit that made our allies be taken prisoners in the first place, so perhaps I shouldn't make the same mistake again.

But again, Zuko got involved, telling me not to worry about that. He didn't exactly make me feel better when he reminded me how many times both he and I failed, but I thought he had a point when he told me, "You can't quit because you're afraid you might fail." That was when it hit me: Zuko and I had more in common than I originally anticipated. I might have failed many times during my journey, but Zuko did so likewise when he failed many times trying to find Aang. But if those failures didn't stop him from reaching for his goal, then why should my failures stop me? Finally coming to a commitment, I told Chit Sang I wouldn't join him.

Fortunately, Suki and Zuko both decided to join me, leaving Chit Sang and his buddies to float down the currents by themselves. As we hid waiting for daybreak, when the gondola was supposed to arrive with new prisoners, I thought about the possibility that my dad wasn't on this gondola. If he wasn't here, I would have come for nothing. Before I found Suki, I originally felt this way, thinking I totally wasted our time. Here's hoping that I wouldn't feel this way again.

As the gondola arrived, my heart nearly skipped a beat. The doors creaked open in slow motion, with each prisoner slowly trudging out, wearing identical prison garbs with their hands chained. I bit my lower lip, hoping to all the spirits out there that my father was on board. An eternity passed before one final figure in the shadows slowly edged out. My eyes automatically widened as that familiar figure, tall and confident, strolled into the light. There was no doubt about it: my father had arrived at the Boiling Rock.

As the prisoners lined up for the warden, I glanced back at Zuko, who had to be taken back to his cell soon. I almost felt bad how I had to keep him here for this seemingly selfish reason, but knowing Zuko, there was no way he would leave this place without me. If he could regain his honour by joining our group, then I could regain my honour by saving Dad. And if it meant the two of us would do something nuts to get Dad and Suki out of here, then so be it. Zuko and I were a team now, and we would see this through to the end, no matter what.

________________________________________

**Zuko's POV**

"All I get is a letter? You could have at least looked me in the eye when you ripped out my heart!" Mai exclaimed, reading the very letter I wrote to her when I left the Fire Nation. I never expected to confront Mai in the Boiling Rock, but somehow she made her way here when her uncle, the warden himself, made me his special prisoner. Now not only did I have to plot an escape plan with Sokka to free his father, I had to deal with my angry ex-girlfriend spitting my every word back in my face. Seriously, how bad could this get?

"This isn't about you! This is about the Fire Nation!" I interrupted, trying to make her understand the circumstances. Somehow Mai had to see what I was attempting. "Mai, I never wanted to hurt you, but I have to do this to save my country." Like most Fire Nation kids, she was brought up with the notion that everyone was inferior to us. So perhaps, if I described my journey and told her of the suffering, she would be open enough to consider it? I knew Mai well enough to know that she could change, so could I change her one more time?

Mai crossed her arms angrily as I explained how throughout our lives, we were taught to fear our elders and superiors, letting them have all the authority while keeping our thoughts to ourselves. Anything out of line meant harsh and severe punishment, such as the scar on my face. I no longer found it painful to discuss my past with her, when before I joined Aang's group I wouldn't open up about it. But now that I came to terms with my past, I felt much freer in talking about them with anyone. This was what the world ought to be about: coming to terms with our past in an honest way, fostering understanding between nations and creating a new harmony.

As I discussed how we could create an era of peace, I found Mai slowly loosening her stance. I guessed my speech about respecting others for who they were rather than imposing our beliefs on them was working. It hit home the relationship Mai and Ty Lee had with Azula, in which they were under her constant control. I could see her arms relaxing and her shoulders dropping. "Being banished was actually a good thing, because it allowed me to truly see the world. And it is with this conviction that I decided to join the Avatar's group," I concluded.

Just then, a guard rushed in, informing us he was sent by the warden to protect Mai from the riot outside. Knowing a fight would most likely mean Sokka was behind it, I knew the escape plan was on. With Mai still arguing with the guard, I blasted the guard's feet with fire, rushed past Mai and out the door. I slid it shut and locked it just as Mai hurried up, getting a good look at her eyes through the slit. Those dark orbs were a mixture of sadness and pain as I had to leave her again. I wasn't sure if she would ever forgive me for ditching her twice, but it had to be done. "Forgive me," I murmured through the door, before rushing outside into the courtyard.

I finally made my rendezvous with the group, who told me they had to grab the warden before leaving. Seeing him stand several stories up on a balcony, I realized Sokka made yet another mistake. "I thought you thought this through," I shouted, gesturing at Mai's uncle. With the brawl right in our way, how in the world could we get to that tower safely?

"I thought you told me it's okay not to think everything through!" Sokka retorted, his voice squeaking like a girl. I slammed my palm into my face, completely flabbergasted at how Sokka could have let such an important detail slip. What type of water tribe genius was this?

Luckily, Suki did us one better. She raced through the crowd on their shoulders and heads, scaled the pipes and beams, eluded the guards, and tied up the warden before anyone of us could even speak. With the warden as our prisoner, we made a rather uneventful trip to the gondola, making sure no one attacked us as we boarded the cab. I even broke the control lever just so they couldn't stop us. As I leaped into the now-moving cab, getting pulled on by Sokka, I realized the plan wasn't too bad after all. Now if only Sokka could give me a plan in which I could reconcile with Mai afterwards, then the world would be perfect.

Oops, spoke too soon, as Azula and Ty Lee made their way into the picture. Using a pair of handcuffs, Azula linked herself to the gondola wire and jet-blasted towards us. Ty Lee also proceeded on her way, climbing onto the top gondola wire and raced up as well. Realizing we had a fight on our hands, Sokka, Suki, and I climbed to the roof. Sokka told me he felt we made a great team, so let's show Azula what we could do.

Azula first aimed low, firing a blast at our feet. I leaped out of the way and mimicked her action, slamming a fist to the boards and sending fire back at her. Somehow, I couldn't help but think back at the dragon dance Aang and I did back with the Sun Warriors. Those techniques incorporated every aspect of fire bending, meaning I had the real skills while Azula only had fast and furious on her side. Sokka and I alternated offence and defence, with each of us get a shot in via sword and fire, respectively. Before long, we had Azula on the ropes, nearly knocking her off the gondola. Ha, I bet you never expected that, did you Azula? You thought you were this all-mighty, undefeatable fire bending prodigy? Well I got you right where I wanted you now.

But the gondola came to a screeching halt, nearly sending Sokka into the boiling water below. I managed to grab him just in time, but not before a sickening scratching sound echoed from the tower. "They're about to cut the line!" I heard Ty Lee exclaim. I turned my head just in time to see the two girls leaping onto an adjacent gondola, the one that was heading back to the prison. Given our position, I would say we were about to experience what a pot stew felt like.

But just as I returned into the cab, I saw the most amazing thing. A figure dressed in dark clothing whizzed around, hurling projectile after projectile at the guards with the saw, and even removed the block stopping our progress. "It's Mai," I sputtered, not knowing what to think. We had a rather nasty breakup back in the cell, and I never expected her to help me out. Now she was helping me escape? Who would have thought that would work out?

As the cab reached its destination on the other side, I couldn't help but feel a sense of relief. Sokka got what he was looking for, and in the process redeemed himself. I didn't want anything in return from him, other than his faith and trust in me. I showed him at this prison that I could be a part of this team, and I was willing to help him save the world. Now my only worry was with Mai, and how she would fare against Azula once the other gondola arrived. It felt like just when I formed a new bond, I had to severe an old one. I could only wish that Mai could stay alive, as I promised I would return to help her once I ended the war.

________________________________________

**Zuko's POV**

The old man trudged his way back up the stone steps, slowly moving away from the town site and back to his home. "That was him, that was the monster," Katara whispered beside me, her tone filled with hate. Originally, I didn't plan on taking another journey, after having helped Sokka rescue Hakoda and Suki from the Boiling Rock. But after Azula found out about our hiding spot, we had to make an escape. Hakoda took a few people out a back exit, leading to the airship I commandeered from the Boiling Rock, while I stayed behind with Aang, Katara, Sokka, Toph, and Suki to fight off Azula. With my sister now on our trail, we had to move again.

But that wasn't the main issue right now, as even though the whole group accepted me more, Katara still remained bitter about it. I personally had no idea why, given that everyone, even Suki, who I had known for the least amount of time, opened up to me. But Katara, it felt like every time she had something to say about me, it was filled with insults. It finally got to a boiling point a couple nights ago, when I called her out in front of everyone. That was when she gave me a hint: it had something to do with her mother's death all those years ago.

After probing Sokka a bit, I found out the group that led the attack causing their mother's death: the Southern Raiders. Originally, we attacked their naval base via Appa, but the one we were looking for wasn't there. It was only after some interrogation that we found out the man who killed Katara's mother, Yon Rha, retired a few years ago. And that was what brought us here, to this island at the corner of the Fire Nation, stalking this weak old man with stringy grey hair. Normally, I would have never agreed to do this, but I realized it was for Katara's own good. If she didn't deal with this problem, then it would eat away at her for the rest of her life. With a steady downpour now appearing, we followed Yon Rha down the rocky road.

Suddenly, Yon Rha turned around and unleashed a fire fist, torching a tree where he thought we were hiding. In reality, we were to his sides, holding a small string barely off the ground. Just as he grabbed his groceries, we pulled the string hard, tripping him up and sending him straight to the mud. I raced out and blasted fire right before his face, threatening him not to fire bend anymore. "Whoever you are, take my money, take whatever you want, I'll cooperate," he stuttered. Wow, and he claimed to be the leader of the famous Southern Raiders? Our troops were taught never to be afraid, even if we faced our deaths. What a spineless gutless chicken!

But there was something he ought to be afraid of right now, as Katara stalked up beside me. "Do you know who I am?" she demanded, lifting her hood to reveal her face, "You better remember me like your life depends on it! Why don't you take a closer look?"

From this moment out, I was nothing more than a spectator, watching Yon Rha search his brain and recalled Katara as the little water bending girl he saw during his raid at the South Pole. Katara's anger was overflowing, to the point where she created a huge water dome around all three of us, absorbing more water from the outside and making it stronger. Earlier, when we were on the base, I saw her do some bending that controlled a person's body, and it was truly frightening. I always thought that water, being the opposite of fire, would be a peaceful element, rather than a ferocious one. But seeing the move she pulled, I had second thoughts. Maybe just like lightning, Katara's move was the sinister move for water, and I didn't hope to see that again.

Soon enough, Katara turned all the water around us into sharp icicles, aiming them right at Yon Rha. Normally, at a time like this, I would be the first to jump in and stopped her, but this time I chose to stay on the sidelines. Sokka and Aang did all they could to convince Katara not to go on this trip, but I told the boys she had to do this to find closure. Just like how I had to get through the journey of leaving my nation, relearning fire bending from the Sun Warriors, and facing my former girlfriend all on my own, Katara had to find out about what her true goals were on her own. If Katara was truly the kind and caring person she and the rest of the team claimed she would be, then there was no way she would push those icicles down. If only she could find the strength inside to stop her from committing this horrible act...

Then, to my expectations, Katara halted her act just before the blades impaled Yon Rha. My mouth dropped in shock as to how close to a tragedy that could have been. As Yon Rha was soaked by the now-melted ice, Katara turned away, leaving Yon Rha on the ground begging for mercy. He even asked Katara to take his mother's life in exchange, something that I would have found comical had it not been for the seriousness of the situation. If Yon Rha was old enough to retire, how old would his mother be? Why was he even wasting his time trying to convince us?

But then, Katara spoke loud and clear, and her words meant more than anything else we had done. "As much as I hate you, I just can't do it," she pointed out. With that, she turned on her heel and marched away, leaving Yon Rha and I without any speech.

The journey back to the team was uneventful as I suggested we hid in Ember Island, where my family's old abandoned beach house was. I didn't say anything to Katara as I dropped her off at the location, before going back to our hideout to pick up the rest of the team. Katara ought to take this time by herself to reflect upon her actions, and hopefully found the strength to move on. Maybe this was what was required to make her an even better person.

By the time the rest of the team arrived at Ember Island, nobody was more worried about Katara than Aang. During the ride on Appa here, I told Aang and Sokka what Katara did, or as Aang put it, didn't do. Both guys were quite confused about it, but Sokka was glad that she chose to spare Yon Rha. I figured that if Katara could let it go, then certainly Sokka could too, as the deceased was also Sokka's mother. Either way, as Sokka left with Toph and Suki to take our belongings to the beach house, I went to the dock with Aang to confront Katara.

"I wanted to do it," she explained as Aang and I approached, "I wanted to take out all my anger at him, but I couldn't. I don't know if it's because I'm too weak to do it, or if it's because I'm strong enough not to." Katara stood up, her expression a complicated mix of relief, sadness, and helplessness. "I'll never forgive him, but I am ready to forgive you," she declared, coming up to me and pulling me into a big hug. Somehow, my idea worked, and Katara was really on the journey to healing. With this, I knew she and Aang would have a much brighter future together.

Katara marched off, looking more confident than ever. I then turned to my air bender friend, who agreed with me that violence wasn't the answer, at least in this situation. But before we could celebrate Katara's rebirth, I realized something graver than anything we had ever seen before. Katara might not have to kill Yon Rha, but I doubted I could say the same about Aang for his final battle. "What are you going to do when you face my father?" I asked Aang.

Aang went from upbeat to deflated in a matter of seconds. Katara might find closure in not beating up a weak old man who was too feeble to harm anyone, but Aang was facing a very ruthless man. Adding to the fact that Sozin's Comet was about to come, there was no way any ordinary being could stand up to my father in terms of fire bending. If Aang failed to kill my father, then this was the end of the line for the world. How would he deal with that dilemma?

________________________________________

**Iroh's POV**

For the first time in a little while, my old bones didn't go creaking as I woke up from my sleep. I had been here, gathered with the members of the White Lotus, preparing for our attack on the Fire Nation-held Ba Sing Se. I didn't spend all that time working out in my prison cell just to do nothing for Sozin's Comet, and gathering my allies from around the world was the best way to do it. With these masters at their arts at our arsenal, I was sure we could achieve victory.

Just then, I realized there was someone in my tent. I glance over my shoulder, and saw a young man kneeling there. One look at that scar across the left side of his face, and I knew who it was. "Uncle, I know you must have mixed feelings about seeing me," Zuko began, his voice hoarse and broken, "But I want you to know, I am so, so sorry, Uncle."

I kept my back turned, not sure how to react. For the first time since losing my nephew, my mind was unclear. While Zuko was apologizing for the way he acted in Ba Sing Se, I wasn't innocent either. I treated him very poorly after he returned to the Fire Nation, ignoring his every visit to my cell, and refusing his offerings of food. Zuko went astray, and chose the wrong path. Deep down, I knew he had the strength to face his mistake and did the right thing, but yet why was I the one who lacked the strength to face Zuko? Why did I choose to turn away every time he visited, and shunned him for making a poor choice?

"I am so sorry and ashamed of what I did," Zuko continued, a slight sobbing coming from his tone, "I don't know how I can ever make it up to you..." By then, I heard enough. There was no need for Zuko to make anything up to me, but it was me who had to make it up to him. People were allowed to make mistakes, as long as they found out what they had to do to make things right again. Zuko received many chances from me in the past, and there was no way I could sit here and let him continue berating himself while knowing he did the right thing.

Without another thought, I whipped around and pulled him in to the biggest hug I could ever muster. "I was never angry with you. I was sad, because I was afraid you lost your way," I stated, tears flowing out of my eyes, "But you found it again, and you did it by yourself, and I'm so happy you found your way here." Perhaps I was in denial for too long, not wanting to face the consequences of Zuko siding with Ozai, hence ignoring Zuko for the longest time. But when Roku visited me in my vision, that was when I received the strength to forgive. Hopefully, with this reunion, it would mean building a new bond between us.

I took Zuko outside, where all of our friends were waiting. Zuko introduced me to the rest of the Avatar's team, while I showed him the rest of the members of the White Lotus. As we gathered for a quick breakfast, Zuko insisted that I went with him to face Ozai. While I realized his concerns, I also felt it wasn't the best way to go. "Even if I did defeat Ozai, and I don't know that I could, it would be the wrong way to end the war," I explained, "The only way for this war to end peacefully is for the Avatar to defeat the Fire Lord."

I also told the group that I didn't want the throne, even though it was rightfully mine to begin with. "Someone new must take the throne, an idealist with a pure heart and unquestionable honour," I described, turning to my nephew, "It has to be you, Zuko."

Zuko almost spilled his congee as I proposed the idea to him. Apparently, he was still very unsure of himself, wondering how his mistakes constituted honourable. But for me, it was the fact that he faced his mistakes, and went through all those hardships in the world, that I felt he was the right choice. "You restored your own honour, and only you can restore the honour of the Fire Nation," I insisted. In my mind, if he could find his way back to the side of good, then he could bring the Fire Nation back to the side of good. No Fire Lord in the past went through so many trials before taking the throne, and no Fire Lord absorbed so many different ideas to take to the throne. If there was one candidate I could think of to take the throne, it was Zuko.

"Zuko, you must return to the Fire Nation so that when the Fire Lord falls, you can assume the throne, and restore peace and order," I instructed my nephew, "but Azula will be there, waiting for you." I also knew that at the current rate, even with the comet, there was no way Zuko could take Azula alone. Her mind was still too strong to crack, and her skills with the comet would be unbelievable. No matter what he felt, Zuko and I both knew he had to get help.

Immediately, Zuko turned to Katara, the water bender he was trapped with under Ba Sing Se, only to be freed by Aang and me later on. I saw the way she fought Azula and the Dai Li in those catacombs, and knew how powerful she was. If she fought alongside Zuko, then I felt they would have a chance against Azula. With that settled, I made preparations for the others. Ozai was to send a fleet of airships to the Earth Kingdom, scorching their land from the Fire Nation border all the way to Ba Sing Se. For their purposes, the remaining threesome was to stop the airship fleet until Aang returned. That way, when the final battle came, they could help Aang out.

Sokka, Toph, and Suki boarded a giant Eel Hound brought out by the sword master Piandao, while Zuko and Katara boarded the Avatar's bison. Determination ran through my body as we prepared for judgment day, and I knew deep down, Zuko felt the same way. "So if I'm going to be Fire Lord after the war is over, what are you going to do?" Zuko asked.

"After I re-conquer Ba Sing Se, I'm going to re-conquer my tea shop," I replied, flipping a Pai Sho tile featuring the White Lotus symbol into the air. This was the same type of tile that I used to get Zuko and me out of that desert and into the city. I guessed after this experience, Zuko probably gained a new appreciation for the game. "And I'm going to play Pai Sho every day." Looking everyone in their eyes, I announced, "Today, destiny is our friend, I know it."

As everyone departed, I realized that the hope of the new world lied within the hands of these young people. I had full faith in my nephew to get the job done, as did I with the rest of his team. The next generation seemed so bright and energetic, so full of new ideas, so much so that I was perfectly content in leaving the world in their hands. Zuko truly grew up in my eyes, and it was time I let him take the lead and brought the world into a better age. I knew if this group put their minds to it, and didn't back down from challenges, there was nothing they couldn't do.

________________________________________

**Katara's POV**

There was complete silence in the Fire Nation palace courtyard as Zuko and Azula took to opposite ends. As expected, Zuko and I arrived on Appa just in time to see the Fire Sages preparing to coronate Azula. Zuko was about to take back the throne when Azula challenged him to an Agni Kai, with the winner taking the role of Fire Lord after. Originally, I had major doubts about Zuko doing this. Didn't General Iroh tell us not to face Azula alone? Was Zuko out of his mind accepting the challenge? At this rate, he would burn to a crisp.

But Zuko claimed he saw something off about her, and wanted to face her alone, just so I didn't get hurt. Now that I observed Azula from the sidelines, I realized Zuko was fairly accurate in that statement. Azula didn't have that usual tart tongue and arrogant swagger, and almost seemed physically unbalanced. Her hair was a mess, and during the coronation I saw her get strangely irritated at the Fire Sages. Why would someone at the moment of becoming Fire Lord be that abrasive? There was definitely something up, and I could only sit and watch.

Both sides turned to face each other, getting into their fighting stances before unleashing a gigantic wall of fire at each other. Even though I was a fair distance away, the fire was strong enough that embers darted onto the ledge and nearly touching my feet. I was amazed by the display, but also frightened at its sheer power. Zuko told me that he and Aang went to the Sun Warriors to learn a new fire bending technique, and I did do my fair share of ridiculing him for that. But now he was using all his skill, some of which I never saw before when we fought in the past. As he matched Azula shot for shot, I never dared to say another bad thing about it again.

The comet-enhanced fight was getting fiercer and fiercer now, doing collateral damage to the buildings around me with several already on fire. For now, the two combatants still had their feet planted to the ground, but Azula soon took the initiative as she leaped into the air, sending down an aerial kick. The blue fire blast heading straight for Zuko was split in half with ease by the Fire prince, who retaliated with a double-barrel twisting fire bomb. My eyes never left the battlefield as Azula barely dodged it, taking up fire with her feet and jet-blasting towards Zuko. Come on, Zuko, we had to end this soon! The longer the fight, the more likely you'd get hurt.

I slowly got up and edged to the corner where Zuko was before the fight began, trying to get a closer look. Other than a high jump to avoid Azula's first blow, Zuko stayed within the same area. It almost felt earth bender-like, as I always saw Toph teach Aang to take a firm stand and reacted to the elements around. I knew Iroh was a far-seeing man, incorporating knowledge from every side into his skill. Was Zuko applying Iroh's trait by using earth bending techniques to defend against Azula? If that were the case, then it was no wonder he had the upper hand!

As Azula circled him, I trained my eyes on Zuko, who seemed to be timing her moves. At just the right moment, Zuko got to the ground and did a spinning leg whip, jetting fire low from his feet and knocking Azula out of her position. As the Fire Nation princess tumbled onto the ground, Zuko further taunted her, "No lightning today? Afraid I'll redirect it?"

Just then, I realized Zuko and I both made the biggest mistake of our lives. Azula got her electricity ready, but it wasn't directed at Zuko, who was in perfect form to redirect it. Instead, because I got near Zuko just moments before, she turned to me. I tried to run but my legs were jelly, the world spinning around me in slow motion as the blue bolt sizzled its way towards me. I barely heard Zuko holler into the air, diving in front of me and taking the shot with his palm. I couldn't see what happened, but judging from the result, I knew Zuko didn't absorb the shot cleanly. With lightning hissing out his other hand, he soon slumped to the floor, convulsing violently.

With the smell of burnt skin still fresh, now I had another worry to deal with. Azula, who was cackling manically, now pursued me with her jet blasts again. I had no way of reaching Zuko to give him assistance, and with a crazed Azula on the war path, this wasn't looking good. Azula, I never challenged you for the Fire Lord position, so could you get off my case already?

Luckily, there were a couple of water troughs near me, and I was able to use that to fend off Azula, but barely. "Zuzu, you don't look so good!" she continued to exclaim aimlessly. Okay then, maybe Azula had really lost her marbles. As I ducked behind pillars and bars, she blasted them down with her lightning, all the while hurtling towards me on her jets. Turning the water into ice, I slid around the arena, trying to hide while Azula continued smoking my rear end. Seriously, if I could only get more time, I could launch an attack on her. Why was this so hard?

Azula's flames soon got the best of me, as the ice behind me melted rapidly. I used the blue fire as a smokescreen, letting Azula continue to blast my trail while I slipped off to the side. I landed hard to the ground, trying to catch my breath. As my eyes darted around, I saw a very important source underneath me: the sewers! With that much waste water flowing through, that had to work out, right? And in the distance, there was a set of chains for a padlock used during maintenance. With the covering filled with small openings, maybe that was a way to trap Azula?

"There you are, filthy peasant!" Azula's voice jolted my attention back to reality. She was leaning right against a pillar, her face the very definition of the word monstrosity. I also realized I had seconds to get my manoeuvre right, if I wanted to leave this place in one piece. My heart raced and beads dripped down my head as I watched Azula come at me. If I could only bait her into my position, then it would all work out. How about I water whip her feet...

A-ha! The plan worked, as she's now jumping forward and jabbing her lightning finger at me. Acting quickly, I pulled the water up, covering us both and turning it into solid ice. I had the chains in my hands, and had to negotiate through the ice block carefully when I tied them around Azula. Unlike Toph, she didn't know metal bending, so there was no way she could escape from this. Making sure they were tight against the sewer cover, I released us from the water, coughing and wheezing as I tried to catch my breath. At least I knew one threat was neutralized, so time to deal with the other issue, namely the one that saved my life.

Zuko was a complete wreck by the time I reached him. He was barely breathing, and was shaking uncontrollably. I had always imagined him to be the same as his sister, a cruel monster who didn't care for the world. I took it personally too when he betrayed us back in Ba Sing Se, nearly causing the death of the one I loved the most. I managed to use the Spirit Water to save Aang, and how appropriate it was that I had to use water (just regular one, mind you) again to save Zuko. Taking a deep breath, I pulled some water from my sash and pressed on his chest.

Zuko groaned and gritted his teeth as I healed him. I thought about all the nasty things I said to him back at the air temple, and subsequently on our way to avenge my mother. During that time, I never gave him a chance to correct himself, opting to let my emotions get in the way. Toph was right at the beginning, when she accused us of being too selfish and not open-minded enough to accept Zuko. And even as Aang and Sokka soon learned to let go of their mistrust of Zuko, I still held on. I could go on about how stupid I was for doing that, but berating myself wouldn't do me any good. Maybe if I could save Zuko now, I could apologize to him later on.

Relief washed over me as Zuko's vital signs returned to normal. He even managed to lift his head, whispering a quiet "thank you" to me. But I knew better than that, as without his act of jumping before the lightning bolt, I would never be alive right now. "I think I should be the one thanking you," I replied, slowly lifting him to his feet.

Together we approached Azula, who was nothing short of insanity right now. She was sobbing and hissing violently, fire shooting out her mouth in uncontrollable spurts. I felt almost sorry that this monster was the one to influence Zuko so negatively throughout his life, only to turn into a shadow of her former self. I guessed by defeating Azula, Zuko was finally freed from his past demons. I would leave the now insane Azula for Zuko to deal with, as my mind was back worrying about Aang. If Zuko wanted to keep his word to his uncle and would make the world a better place to live, I knew he and Aang would have a lot of cooperating to do.

________________________________________

**Zuko's POV**

"Mai, you're okay. They let you out of prison?" I asked, both surprised and relieved to see the girl of my dreams strolling into my room. After my successful Agni Kai against Azula, I had her committed to an asylum, after finding out that her mental state was frail at best. I owed Katara a big thank you after Azula shot me with lightning, as I would probably be worse off had I not received Katara's healing. Now I had a scar on my torso to go along with the one on my face. But this time, this scar was one that I was proud to wear, as it showed what I stood for and how I fought for my principles, even in the face of Azula.

"My uncle pulled some strings," Mai replied, helping me put on the rest of my clothing. I was truly worried about her wellbeing in the Boiling Rock, when I had to unceremoniously leave her behind again. But to see her in such a good mood on the day of my coronation, I could tell things were on the mend. "It doesn't hurt that the new Fire Lord is your boyfriend," she added.

I was overjoyed to hear that. More than anything, I wished from the bottom of my heart that Mai would forgive me for what I did. But hearing that, I knew not only was she forgiving me, but also supporting me in every way possible. I knew that from now on, not only did I have to play my part in healing the world, but I also had to reconcile with Mai. There was a new sense of understanding between us now, and our bond was bound to be stronger than ever before. "But don't ever break up with me again," she warned, before we engaged in another round of kisses.

After enjoying each other's company for another few minutes, Mai hurried out to the courtyard, leaving me to take the long stroll out. There was one another person I had to pick up before getting crowed, and he was the one person I never thought I would be friends with. Aang apparently defeated my father by stripping him of his bending, leaving him nothing more than a bitter prisoner in the same prison Uncle Iroh was kept in. I knew I had doubts about Aang before, after all the talk from him about not being able to take a life. But to find an alternate way to end the war while keeping his morals intact, this was truly remarkable. Maybe just like how I had to fight to keep my morals intact, this was Aang's big test to the world. And now, to celebrate both our accomplishments together, I couldn't have envisioned a better moment.

Reaching the exit to the courtyard, I saw Aang sitting on the ground to the side, his face solemn and formal. Aang switched into some Air Nomad robes that seemed almost too big for him, the bagginess hanging over his sleeves and pant legs. But from my perspective, it almost felt like he matured by nearly a decade since I first saw him at the South Pole. "I can't believe a year ago my purpose in life was hunting you down," I commented to Aang, recalling the days when we were still on opposite sides. We were both immature and didn't understand the world back then, so to see us both grow up like this was truly something different.

"I can't believe a year ago I was still frozen in a block of ice," Aang replied, slowly getting to his feet. Had anyone told me a year ago that Aang and I would become friends, I would have been in shock. But now, seeing things turn out the way they did, it felt like Aang and I did become friends, and we would have plenty more chances in the future to cooperate with each other. "The world's so different now," Aang stated, indirectly referring to our relationship.

"And it's going to be even more different," I added, "We'll rebuild it together." With that, we pulled each other into a hug. The task ahead of us would be difficult, but there was no doubt that Aang and I had what it took to make things right again.

Aang and I were greeted by the gongs on our either side and the boisterous crowd before us. Unlike past Fire Lords, I chose to invite members of every nation to witness my coronation. The war had officially ended, and the time for reconciliation began now. The applause continued as I introduced Aang, declaring that he was the real hero who ended the war. "The road ahead of us is challenging. A hundred years of fighting has left the world scarred and divided. But with the Avatar's help, we can get it back on the right path, and begin a new era of love, peace, and hope," I announced to everyone with conviction. It was then that Aang and I both turned to each other and nodded, fully realizing that our legacies would depend entirely on this task.

I immediately got down to my knees, allowing the Fire Sage to step up behind me with the royal headpiece. "All hail Fire Lord Zuko!" he declared, pushing the headpiece into my hair with one smooth motion. The crowd roared in approval once more, sending tingles up my spine as I waved Aang over. These were the people we were in charge of helping, and we ought to never forget that without their support, none of our successes would be possible.

The first act I did after my coronation was to visit the prison. Even though my father wouldn't be harming anyone anymore, I still had an old score to settle with him. "You should count yourself lucky that that Avatar spared your life," I spat as I entered the call. My father was an absolute mess behind the bars, his hair mangled, his clothing tattered, and his body slouched over. "Banishing me was the best thing you could have done for my life. It put me on the right path. Perhaps your time in here could do the same for you." I pointed out.

I didn't expect my father to treat me with any more respect than he did before. I knew inside him he still felt I was an immature, soft, and overly sentimental individual. But I would rather be accused of having too much compassion than not having enough. "You're going to tell me something," I snarled, lowering my face to his, "Where is my mother?"

Unfortunately, I didn't get an answer from him. No matter how hard I interrogated him, there would be no budging from this disgusting human being in divulging more detail as to what happened to my mother. But if he felt this was the best way to stir up weaknesses in me, he was dead wrong. Strength didn't come from fear or control. Rather, it came from facing one's flaws and learning mistakes from the past, making sure we would not repeat them again, for now and in the future. Finding my mother would be a task for another day, but for now, it was time to deal with reconciliation between the Fire Nation and the other groups. I would start with the Earth Kingdom, hoping to set up a bilateral meeting with the Earth King, who I heard would be repatriated soon. I had plenty to talk about with him, including a potential prisoners' exchange that would see Mai's parents returning to the Fire Nation. The least I could do for the girl who nearly got killed by Azula because she wanted to save me, right?

And said meeting did come to fruition, as I arrived at Ba Sing Se, ready to hold my first official visit as Fire Lord the next morning. For now, I was content to spend the evening at my uncle's now-reopened tea shop, serving everyone tea and enjoying the moment. It was like Uncle said to me: I was stronger and freer than ever before, to the point where I was truly the beautiful prince, now Fire Lord, he envisioned me to be. All these people around me, they all used to be my enemies some time ago. To bond with them all and accepted them for who they were, only to have them accept me for who I was, this was truly an honour. I was glad I could be their friend, looking out for them as the Fire Lord, and helping out Aang, who I was sure was just as happy to serve them as their Avatar. As the sun slowly dipped to the horizon, I thought of one thing...

My name is Zuko. That was my story. Those were my rites of passage.


	29. Aang, Part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Each character grows up with a set of experiences unique to themselves. Watch each person describe what went through their minds and how they changed as they reacted to the world. These are their stories, these are their rites of passage.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: Michael DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko own Avatar.

**Appa's POV**

"Appa," a soft voice called to me. My eyelids were still heavy, as I barely got any sleep. Usually, on late autumn nights like these, it was really comfortable at the bison stables. The wind breezing in made the temperatures just right to drift away. But for some reason, I had very little rest, and somehow I figured a certain young air bender had to do with that.

And said air bender was Aang, who kept one hand on my fur while negotiating his way to my back, placing the harness and saddle on as quietly as possible. Aang had been my companion since I was a calf, when we first chose each other at the Eastern Air Temple. He offered me an apple, which I willingly took, and we had been bonded ever since then. From what I knew about Aang, he was a gentle, fun-loving, carefree boy, always having some new idea on fun and games and never stopped adventuring. Whether it was going to Omashu to visit Bumi or the Fire Nation to visit Kuzon, Aang's drive was just non-stop. So to see him come up to me with such a gloomy look, I knew something must have happened.

"We have to go, buddy," Aang whispered, climbing into the saddle. He grabbed the reins, leading me out of my stall and into the open. It was so out of character for Aang, trudging in with his head down and void of energy. From what I heard, Aang was announced to be the Avatar just a few days ago, and deep down I was very happy for him. Knowing that he would be the one to help balance the world, and I would be by his side helping him along the way, it was something I could never imagine doing. So why did he seem so sad?

The familiar call of "yip, yip" sent me into the air, flying away from the air temple and into the clouds. Aang was strangely silent the entire time, and judging from the stoic way he sat on my back, I had to find out what was going on. Letting out a soft groan from my mouth, I tried to sway my head from side to side, hoping he would notice. Luckily, Aang read my sign, and gently stroked my fur. "We're pretty much on our own, buddy," he murmured, "I'm running away from home. I can't be around those people right now."

I nearly lost my concentration as Aang announced that to me. Why on earth would he want to get away from the Air Nomads? He had friends throughout the temple, and one of the elders, Gyatso, was very close to him. "The monks told me I was the Avatar, and then things just changed," Aang continued, his tone unbelievably muted, "None of my friends wanted to play with me anymore, claiming as the Avatar I had an unfair advantage. And I taught them my new Air Scooter move too, and wanted to make up a new game with them. Now, they won't even let me go near them. How bad can that get?" he pulled on my reins in frustration.

I tilted direction, heading away from the mountains and towards to coast. The cool night just got colder with clouds gathering in the distance. Somehow, I doubted that this journey was about to go as smoothly as Aang would imagine. "As if that wasn't bad enough, now the other monks wanted to separate Gyatso and me," Aang continued, his rant getting a little louder now, with a significant tinge of frustration and anger mixed into his earlier sadness, "They think Gyatso is interfering with my training, and that I had to learn all the elements as soon as possible so that I could help them stop an impending war or something like that. Why would the Fire Nation even attack us? Kuzon is my friend, and he would never do such a thing!" he exclaimed.

I was in total shock after hearing this. I heard that the Avatar was supposed to leave home after mastering their native element, and was to travel to the other nations to learn their arts as well. It was the Avatar's way of walking a mile in the other benders' shoes, and I fully expected Aang and me to be on this journey sometime in the future. But to rush all that onto Aang right now, before he could even prepare? Wasn't that a bit much?

Aang stole the words from me immediately. "It's like they want to take away the ones I loved the most. It's like them telling me I could never have a family," Aang continued, a slight sobbing laced with his words, "I know Gyatso really tried to convince them, but it didn't work. If the monks had their way, I would be heading for the Eastern Air Temple right now. I couldn't take that type of isolation, so I just wrote Gyatso a message, and left the temple."

Well, at least that meant seeing my family, since my mother was probably still at that temple. But for Aang, I knew how devastating this would be for him. There was no way someone so young and carefree could have such a huge task thrust upon him this quickly. Was there really a war going on? Couldn't the monks be a bit more considerate, considering how unprepared Aang was? Surely they were willing to be a bit more lenient, right?

But at the same time, knowing Aang, I knew he had the ability to tackle this challenge, no matter how unprepared he was right now. Aang was one of the youngest people ever to receive his tattoos, and was clever enough to think up of his own air bending move. This was one of the most resourceful air benders I had ever seen, and I was sure the people of the world would be very blessed to have Aang as their Avatar when he matured. Maybe there was a way to draw a compromise between Aang and the monks, just so he could continue his training without being separated from his family. If I could talk or write, I would volunteer myself to send them that message. What better way to help my best friend than to let him reconcile with the monks?

Suddenly, I was hit with a huge gust of wind, slamming my side and veering me off course. I struggled to stay on track, but there was no denying what happened. We entered into a freak thunderstorm, and were in for the fight of our lives. I tried to air bend as much as possible, but it was no good. The winds were too erratic for me to get any balance, and the water slashing at me didn't help either. Before long, I found myself in the water, kicking and whipping my tail in order to stay afloat. I wasn't too terrible with swimming, as my kicks could still get us some progress, but it was evident that I was most comfortable in the skies. I could only roar in total frustration, the waves swirling faster and threatening to drag us under. Where was Aang?

Just then, a bright globe surrounded me, leaving me dry and warm. I had no idea what this was all about, but had a feeling that Aang was behind this. Somehow, he used this strange technique to save us, whatever it was. Either way, the only choice we had was to wait out this storm, whenever it would end. My eyelids felt heavy once more as I dozed off. Maybe after taking a nap, it would all be better again, for both Aang and me.

________________________________________

**Aang's POV**

"Hey," the girl's voice called to me from Appa's saddle. I was still feeling a little weird after being trapped in that iceberg, but the most amazing girl just freed me from there. Her name was Katara, and she and her brother were from the Southern Water Tribe. I had to admit that I had never been there before, so visiting that place would be a great experience. What more fun could I have then going penguin sledding with Katara?

"Hey," I greeted her back, lying nonchalantly on Appa's head as we floated along. Appa was still too tired to fly after getting out of the ice with me, so we just decided to take the slow way to the water tribe by swimming. "What are you thinking about?" For some reason, I felt so good being around Katara. She was friendly, open, and immediately I felt attached to her. It didn't hurt that she was the one to break me out of the ice, and now staring at her against the backdrop of the night sky just seemed to make her stand out that much more. Wouldn't it be great if she came to the Southern Air Temple with me, where I could show her to my friends?

"I was just wondering, with you being an air bender and all, if you had any idea what happened to the Avatar?" Katara asked, leaning her face over the edge of the saddle. With that comment, I could feel my blood draining out of my face. Why did she have to ask that?

I stuttered, trying to figure out some way to make her let go of that issue. "I didn't know him. I knew people that knew him, but I didn't, sorry!" I concluded, mustering the biggest grin I could. Seriously, the less she talked about this issue, the better.

Katara thanked me, claiming she was just curious to know. But for me, even someone asking in curiosity wasn't something I wanted. I felt sick to my stomach as Katara's face left my view, leaving me queasy the entire journey. Truth of the matter was, I was the Avatar, a role that I never wanted in the first place. Last memory I recalled before breaking out of the ice was when I left the temple extremely upset, knowing that the monks were going to separate me from Gyatso. I knew it wasn't too smart to run away like that, and flying into the thunderstorm was even dumber, but there wasn't much I could do. How else could I argue with those guys?

I soon dozed off, taking me back into a thunderstorm scene. Katara and her brother Sokka were no longer with me, and I was surrounded by violent storm clouds, identical to the ones that were there when Appa and I flew off. The events played themselves out one by one, with the lightning flaring around me, sending Appa and me into the water. Then, it was like my body was no longer in control of itself as my hands instinctively pressed together, creating a strange glow. I couldn't talk, or move, or even see properly, but I knew ice was slowly forming.

Then, as suddenly as I was encased, I snapped awake. With Katara's voice echoing in my ears, I shot from my position and took a look around. Instead of being on Appa anymore, I was in a hut of some sort, most likely in the Southern Water Tribe, given that it was already morning. "Everyone's waiting to meet you," Katara informed me. With that, I quickly got dressed, grabbing my staff on the way out as Katara led me into the snow.

Wow! I had never seen so many people greet me at once before! Usually, when I visited friends in Omashu or the Fire Nation, we would hang out in a small group. But here, it was like Katara brought her whole village over. Looking around, I saw some elderly folk, some young ones, and Katara herself, introducing me to her grandmother. I gave them a quick bow, but the tribe didn't seem as friendly towards me. Some people seemed downright afraid, as they held their children close to them. What, did Appa sneeze on me, and now they thought I was dirty?

Katara's grandmother explained, claiming that no one had seen an air bender for a hundred years, thinking they were extinct. That comment alone made me scratch my head, as I recalled quite a few people still living in the Southern Air Temple before I left. I tried to get more information, but then Katara's brother Sokka had to interject. Snatching my staff, he swung it around awkwardly. "You can't stab anything with this," he smugly pointed out.

Well Sokka, how wrong could you be. This wasn't for stabbing, but for air bending. Flipping the staff open, I unleashed the wings, turning it into a glider, much to the delight of the kids. I figured that I should give them a demonstration, given they probably hadn't seen anyone fly before. Sokka's insistence that this was all magic only proved my point, as he dared to claim humans couldn't fly. Sokka, I suggested you think again. Taking a deep breath, I leaped into the air, feeling the air currents under my glider and did a couple of laps above them.

Unfortunately, the fun had to be cut short, as I ended up crashing into Sokka's watch tower. By the time I dug myself out, Katara's grandmother pulled her away, claiming there were chores to do. I ended up hanging out with the kids for a while, much to Sokka's disapproval. He claimed he had to prepare the kids for defending the village or something. Come on, Sokka, why would you have to defend the village? It wasn't like there was anyone attacking you. Besides, why couldn't you just let these kids have some fun every now and then?

Apparently, that wasn't enough to stop Sokka from hounding us, stalking up to us while I had the kids play slide on Appa's tail. He kept ranting about a war was going on, but I hadn't heard anything like that to my knowledge. I knew Gyatso mentioned something about the Fire Nation doing something, but that's all just speculation, right? If there was a problem in the Fire Nation, Kuzon would have told me by now. So why worry, Sokka?

Just then, something caught my eye. "Penguin!" I yelled, seeing that adorable looking bird waddle in the distance. I had always wanted to go penguin sledding, and Katara promised to participate in that with me. What better chance to do that than now? Without another word, I raced into the distance, chasing the little fellow who looked so clumsy, but stayed so elusive. Come here, little guy, I wouldn't harm you. I just wanted to go sledding with you. Just as I got close enough to the funny-looking bird, I pounced, hoping to get it in my hands.

Unfortunately, the little critter proved too stubborn, and I was soon having some trouble. I was slipping and sliding across the ice shelf, with dozens of penguins going in and out of the frigid water, but to no avail. Even by impersonating them, making them think I was one of them, it didn't work. Soon enough, I heard a soft giggle from the top of the hill where I first came from. "Aang, I'll help you catch a penguin if you teach me water bending," Katara proposed.

I floated up from the ground, too happy to accept. But there was one problem, as I was an air bender, not a water bender. As Katara got me prepared to catch a penguin, we thought up of what other ways to teach her bending. Apparently, Katara was the only water bender in the South Pole, meaning the closest she could get to a teacher was in the North Pole. "Appa and I can personally fly you to the North Pole," I added, more excited than ever. I visited the South Pole, and now I could visit the North Pole too? How amazing was that?

But I had to hold that thought, as Katara shoved a fish into my hands. Before long, I was swarmed by the flightless birds, all of whom wanting to get some food. "Hey, that tickles," I shouted, trying to grab a random bird while making sure the others weren't pecking my clothes off. By the time I got hold of one, Katara already had the other, one that she said she snatched from the back of the formation. "Well, let's have the time of our lives," I exclaimed.

Yahoo! Riding penguins was a blast, and I was having the time of my life. The landscape whipped past us in indescribable fashion, and I was not afraid of the cold wind whipping past me or the ice and snow around me. I traversed ice sheets, caverns, and snow hills, truly happy that Katara got to experience this with me. She was a very special person, and she deserved to enjoy every moment of this. She had all this fun stuff in her own backyard, but it seemed like she never had a chance to use them. What happened in the Southern Water Tribe that made her so obsessed with work, to the point where she couldn't have fun?

But by the time we halted, I realized we hit the jackpot. Before us was this huge ship trapped in the ice shelf, its silhouette casting a dark shadow over us. "The fire navy ship, and a very bad memory for my people," Katara stated, her tone suddenly dark and serious, "We're not allowed to go near it. It could be booby-trapped."

I approached nonetheless, realizing that this was the biggest obstacle for Katara before she could become a bender. "If you want to be a bender, you have to let go of fear," I pointed out. With that, I beckoned her to approach the ship, going right up to the ice blocks leaning up against the hull. The tall mast soared way above us, the Fire Nation flag waving ominously against the winter sky. There was nothing but dark, eerie silence as we entered the ship, our every step echoing against the metallic walls. I had no idea where we were going, other than following the pipes on the ceiling of each hallway. But for me, this was what adventuring was all about; letting go of that fear, breaking free of restrictions, and being submersed in a new world.

But the next room I entered soon told me this new world wasn't exactly a friendly one. There was an assortment of horrible weapons, most of which could probably do severe harm to a person should they be wielded by an expert. Katara told me that this ship was around during the Fire Nation's first raid on their village, during the time when her grandmother was her age. That didn't seem right. If Katara's grandmother was her age when this ship was here, that meant there was a war even before I was born. So how come I didn't know anything about it, and none of my friends, even Kuzon from the Fire Nation, mentioned it to me? "I have friends all over the world, even in the Fire Nation," I responded to Katara's story, picking up and observing one weapon after another, "I've never seen any war!" To me, this story was bordering absurdity.

Just then, Katara unleashed a bombshell by asking me how long I was in that iceberg. I racked my brain, trying to figure out when I left. It couldn't have been more than a few days ago, right? Apparently, Katara disagreed. "I think it was more like a hundred years. Think about it," she analyzed, "The war is a century old. You don't know about it because, somehow, you were in there that whole time. It's the only explanation," she concluded.

Suddenly, my head felt faint and my legs grew limp. This couldn't possibly happen. Was I really in that ice all that time? That meant all my friends would be old, if not downright dead, right now. "A hundred years," I murmured, still too shocked to believe it. Was I really all alone in this world, with all my friends no longer remembering who I was anymore? Well, maybe there was a bright side. "I did get to meet you," I stated, looking into Katara's serene blue eyes. Just being around her made me at ease about everything, and that was enough comfort for me.

Making our way out, I tripped over something. Before I could react, the ship came to life, its machinery starting up and fireworks exploded in the air. Katara was right when she said there were booby traps on this ship, and now we were in for the run of our lives. "Run, Katara," I yelled, pushing her up the ladder that would take us to the control room. There was only one way off this thing quickly, and it involved going into the air. Suddenly, this adventure was becoming something more than what we originally bargained for.

I held tightly to Katara, making sure she was in my grasp, before gathering air under my feet and jetting us up. During my training, the monks taught us how to manoeuvre in the air, even while carrying heavy things. So even though I probably wouldn't have the physical strength to carry someone larger than me on the ground, I knew the moves required to transport Katara in the air. As we were hit with the sunlight, the first time since we entered the creepy place, I could only think of getting off this ship safely. I leaped from platform to platform, negotiating my way down while protecting Katara. I could only imagine how Sokka and the rest of the village felt about this. Somehow, I doubted they would take this lightly.

________________________________________

**Aang's POV**

"You haven't seen my staff around, have you?" I asked, trying to lighten the mood. To no one's surprise, the village went ballistic at Katara and me when we returned from the Fire Nation ship, claiming that the Fire Nation navy were on the way here. I felt it wasn't a big issue, as the most they would do was wonder why one of their boats got trapped in the ice. Nothing some friendly advice from Sokka and the other people in charge couldn't fix, right?

But how wrong I was. The Fire Nation went on the attack, with the Fire Prince himself coming into the village and threatening to burn down the place. Apparently, he was looking for me, and was willing to torch the whole place just to find me. All he had to do was ask nicely, and I would come with him. Besides, if Kuzon was an example, I was sure the Fire Nation would still treat outsiders with friendly openness and respect. So even though Katara was worried to death about me going with the Fire Prince, I was sure everything would be fine.

The soldiers raised their swords, ready to charge at me. I had to think fast, as I had my hands tied behind my back and couldn't bend with my arms. Getting on my scooter, I buzzed around their bodies and out the other way. I avoided their every shot, all the while telling them, "Thanks anyway." Seriously, what had the Fire Nation become? They greeted me by tying my hands behind my back, confiscating my staff, and throwing me into the deck below. Couldn't a simple "Flameo, hot man" be sufficient? Either way, feeling that this was more like a jail than a guest room, I had to get out of here quickly.

I shot up another flight of stairs, racing towards a soldier right before me. Just as he shot fire from his fist, I leaped into the air, aiming perfectly for the horn on his helmet. I somersaulted almost in slow motion as I lowered my wrists, catching the ropes around my hands right on the tip of the helmet. Snap! The ropes came lose just as I sailed over, knocking the soldier over in the process. Now, with my hands free, at least I had more to work with. Popping my head into various rooms, including one where there was an old man taking a nap, I desperately searched for my staff. Seriously, where did that fire bending teenager put it?

Finally, in the next room, one with a surprisingly open door, there was my staff. I was overjoyed seeing that thing, as now I could finally get out of here. But when I reached for it, the door slammed shut, with that familiar teenage fire bender's voice echoing off the walls. "Looks like I underestimated you," he sneered, getting into a fighter's stance.

I barely had time to breathe when he unleashed a series of blasts at me, making me put on all the defensive moves I learned with the monks. As an air bender, we were taught to harm no life, meaning if conflict was present, we should do our best to avoid it instead of tackling it head-on. That was why, even when the Fire Prince was blasting me with such ferocity, all I did was swirl around the walls, hid behind his back, and did no air bending back at him. It didn't stop him from continuing to shoot at me though, and that was the bad part.

But seeing how much he had to labour through his moves, I realized I could use that to my advantage. What if I made him tire himself out, to the point where he could no longer attack me, and I could grab my staff and left quickly? Getting onto my scooter again, I took off for the corner and zipped around the room as quickly as I could, daring him to hit me with his shots. It was kind of fun, actually, as one of the games I could play with this move was about evading a designated shooter on our scooters. Maybe if the Fire Prince played more air bender games, he wouldn't look so stressed out.

Oof! I forgot about one thing. The shooter in my game wasn't shooting to kill, and he wasn't using fire. That miscalculation on my part just sent me flying off my scooter and sprawling on the ground, with pain in more parts of my body than I could ever imagine. Looked like I was the one who underestimated the teen. He had more energy than I envisioned, and shot me down quicker than I expected. With the fire still raining down on me, I had to think fast.

Jumping up the wall, I grabbed the Fire Nation banner hanging on the side and wrapped the Fire Prince in it, pulling it tight and making sure he couldn't escape. But it bought me maybe three seconds of time, because he snapped that banner like a twig. Luckily, I managed to grab my staff, so I had more air power on me. I didn't want to hurt him, but right now I had no choice. Sending a jet of air sideways, I slammed the Fire Prince against the wall. I then shot a blast of air from below, smacking his face against the ceiling. I made sure I didn't use so much force that he was knocked out, just incapacitated for the moment so I could escape. I had to get to the highest point on this ship, away from non-aerial people so I could get airborne. With the control tower being my only option, I raced towards that final flight of stairs.

The sunlight never felt so good as I dashed out the tower, throwing my staff into the air and turning it into a glider. I jumped and grabbed onto the handlebars, ready to take flight and away from this ship. But before I could even feel the air around me, my flight became unstable, struggling to maintain balance and losing altitude. I glanced up quickly and saw the Fire Prince lunging at the glider, twisting and pulling it as we dropped to the deck. I had no idea what he was doing, but he seemed almost crazed in his pursuit of me. Tumbling to the deck again, I could tell there would be another sparring contest between us.

This time, the fire bender had the advantage. The open deck meant I had nothing to use to escape, and soon I was hit with blasts so ferocious that it even knocked my staff away. With me teetering on the side of the ship, I took two more fire blasts to the chest, finally losing my balance and falling overboard. The cold water cut through me like a hundred blades, identical to the feeling I got when Appa and I first ran away from home. I still had no idea how I survived that, and I could only hope the miracle repeated itself.

Suddenly, my body glowed, my limbs moved around and performed techniques that I shouldn't know. The water around me twisted and twirled, creating a waterspout and sending me high into the air. It was like I was nothing but a spectator, trapped inside my body which seemed to have a mind of its own. Staring at the Fire Nation ship below, I felt myself hurtling toward the deck, which now consisted of the Fire Prince and members of the crew. I landed right in the middle of their formation and, spinning the water around me, blasted it out in a surrounding attack. I couldn't tell what the results were, but I was certain some people went overboard.

Then, as sudden as the strange phenomenon was, it halted, turning my knees into jelly. I collapsed onto the ground, my head pounding like a drum and my vision nothing but a blur. I barely made out two blue-coated individuals rushing up to me. I recognized their voices to be Katara and Sokka, but not much more. "My staff," I murmured, pointing in some random direction. As Katara helped me onto Appa, who I assumed took them here, Sokka offered to get the staff for me. I shook my head several times, trying to get the stars out. That weird move saved my life, but it wasn't a lot of fun to pull off.

By the time Sokka boarded the bison with my staff, I was conscious enough to take the reins. We were about to take off when the Fire Prince got up again, this time pulling over the same old man I saw napping on the boat. Together, they launched a simultaneous fire blast at us, the biggest one I had seen so far. This wasn't fun and games anymore, as they meant business, and that meant I had to pull out all the stops. Grabbing my staff, I timed the blast perfectly and took a huge swing, sending out an equally forceful blast and meeting the shot head-on.

Ha, take that! The fire blast ended up slamming into the side of an iceberg, letting down a mountain of snow and burying the front half of their boat. Giggling at the scene, I knew just the place to go. Steering Appa in the right direction, I finally came clean to Katara and Sokka. "I never wanted to be the Avatar," I muttered, dipping my head as the memories of the monks tearing my family apart resurfaced in my mind.

But Katara and Sokka were persistent, claiming that the world waited a century for me to end this war. Katara even listed the elements in order, telling me I had to learn water, earth, and fire, consistent with what the monks told me. "If we go to the North Pole, you can master water bending," she pointed out, referring to my promise to take her there.

My body shot up as she said that. "We can learn it together," I replied, overjoyed at the prospect of learning the skill with Katara. She was such an amazing person, and I would love to be learning water bending with her. Besides, it would be a while before we got to the North Pole, so why not stop by interesting areas along the way and ride some animals? Katara rode a penguin before, but what about a giant koi, or a hog monkey?

________________________________________

**Aang's POV**

"Lemur!" I yelled, looking at the cute little critter standing at the entrance of the hall. We finally arrived at the Southern Air Temple, and I was so happy to be home. There were a lot of things I wanted to show Katara and Sokka, such as the practice field, some meditation halls, and even a statue of Monk Gyatso, which was unveiled a few weeks before I ran away from here. It was to celebrate his fiftieth year as an air bending master, as well as his long service as an elder in our temple. Just seeing his statue made me remember all the great times I had with him, such as the time he taught me an accuracy drill by air bending pies onto people below. Why couldn't there be some monks around right now so that I could show Katara and Sokka?

"Don't listen to him. You're going to be my new pet," I announced, eyeing the furry animal before me. I wasn't too convinced when Katara and Sokka told me there might not be any monks around, given how they found me in that ice. Knowing how resourceful air benders were, it wouldn't surprise me if some of them escaped, and were just hiding until the war was over. So the place was a bit dead, but that wouldn't matter once we found where they were, right? Playing hide and seek in this big temple would be the most fun we could have as a group.

"Not if I get him first," Sokka rudely interjected, wanting to claim the lemur as food. Apparently, Sokka was quite a meat fan, and the last few days of travelling provided very little meat for him. Personally, I felt he was making a poor choice. I had been a vegetarian all my life and was still sharp as ever, even after spending time in an iceberg. And just to prove it to Sokka, I was about to go all-out in getting that lemur before he did.

I waited until Sokka lunged out at the lemur, using his head as leverage and did a perfect leap-frog over him. He might be taller and had longer legs, but Sokka had no bending powers, and I soon overtook him. We raced through the halls, going in and out between light and shadow and following the silhouette of the lemur. Just for good measure, I demonstrated to him how to throw an air ball, whipping my hands around and sending it straight at Sokka's torso. Pretty good hit, given Sokka was sent high enough into the air to do a somersault.

I used air bending to leap off the balcony and down the cliff side, using the air under me to cushion my landings. Last time I was home, I recalled there being lots of excitement and laughter in this place, the fields teeming with kids playing or practicing air bending, adult monks teaching younger ones skills and techniques, and older monks playing Pai Sho or discussing some philosophical issues. Overall, it was a place filled with life, but it seemed so different when we arrived. There was complete silence, with not even an animal around here. It almost felt scary given how quiet we were before we strolled into the great hall of the Avatars, where I got to see a statue of my predecessor, Avatar Roku of the Fire Nation. If Katara and Sokka were right, and the Fire Nation did start a war, I wondered if Roku got involved in some way?

But I soon found out about the war the hard way, as the lemur scooted into a nearby hut. I recognized the area as where the bison pens used to be, but the stalls were completely destroyed, the fences caved in, and scorch marks littered the place. But nothing prepared me for the scene of destruction in that area, as Fire Nation helmets stacked up to my knees lined the sides of that chamber. My eyes scanned the area, too stunned to speak when I realized Katara and Sokka were right after all. There was a war here, and this was the result. As my eyes continued their scared journey across the room, there was one figure that jumped out at me. It couldn't be, could it?

I edged in slower, the outside chill descending over me as my footsteps echoed though the chamber. The figure was down to the bare bones now, the tattered orange robes signifying that he was an air bender. Upon a closer look, I zoomed in on the pendant he was wearing, with the Air Nomads insignia still legible. "Monk Gyatso," I hiccupped, recognizing he wore the same piece I made for him before I was announced to be the Avatar. He wore it with him even to his death, the news striking me so hard that my knees buckled.

"Aang, I wasn't really going to eat the lemur," I heard Sokka's voice chime in from behind. But my eyes were too flooded to pay attention to him. Even with my palms covering my face, they were completely soaked through. "Oh man," Sokka murmured. I figured he saw the body as well, and right now he probably saw me at my most pathetic pose. I was the Avatar, supposed to save the world, yet I couldn't even save my own teacher. Why did the Fire Nation have to take him? Why did the Fire Nation have to kill everyone? Things were never like this before, so how did they get to this stage? And if they were still at it, how many more people had to die?

Suddenly, I felt that strange feeling again, identical to the time when I was captured by that Fire Prince. My body slowly lifted into the air, but it was like I had no control of it. There was a violent hurricane-like wind whipping around me, but I couldn't feel any of that either. Before long, I heard Sokka scream from behind me, just as the blast got bigger, blowing the roof off the chamber. I wasn't sure how to describe it, but I was feeling an unbelievable amount of power surging through me right now, and it was quite scary.

Just then, a familiar voice sliced into my ears. "Aang, I know you're upset, and I know how hard it is to lose the people you love. I felt the same thing when I lost my mom," Katara called. I was shocked that her voice could reach my ears through this violent storm, but whatever the case, I could feel that calming presence near me again. "Monk Gyatso and the other air benders may be gone, but you still have a family. Sokka and I, we're your family now." And upon hearing that, my heart just softened.

I felt my entire body relax and lowered to the ground, the immense power bottling itself up as my feet gently touched the floor. As an air bender, I felt the freest in the air, but I never would have imagined how well the ground felt beneath me. As Sokka promised that he would play his part to protect me as well, I felt my body slump over. Luckily, Katara was there to break the fall, and I just stayed in her arms the same way I did when I tumbled out of the iceberg. As she comforted me, I realized her suggestion earlier was right. "If the fire benders found this temple, that means they found the other ones too," I whispered, "I really am the last air bender."

Katara held me in an embrace as I mulled that thought over. Being the last air bender meant my entire culture was gone. The Sky Bison, with the exception of Appa, were probably all extinct, and the lemur we saw was probably the only one left as well. How could the Fire Nation do such a terrible thing and wipe out an entire people? Slowly getting back up, I realized that my journey to save the world wasn't as fun as I originally thought.

________________________________________

**Aang's POV**

The sharp spikes hanging from the top of the cave and jutting out from the bottom truly scared me as I looked up at a huge waterfall. I brought Katara and Sokka here to the city of Omashu, in the southern part of the Earth Kingdom, so I could show them how to ride the mail chutes. I used to visit my friend Bumi here, and he was the one who showed me how this game worked. It had been a hundred years since I last saw Bumi, so I figured he, just like my friends from the Air Temple, was probably dead. I did feel kind of sad knowing I could never see him again, but at least Katara and Sokka could try out the chutes, right?

Nope, no such luck here. We ended up crashing into a cabbage merchant, who then reported us to the authorities. We were to be sentenced by the king himself, who ordered the guards to throw us...a feast. I was wondering why he was doing that, but then figured it out when he used it to confirm my identity as the Avatar. Rather than imprisoning us, he let us stay in a supposedly refurbished room, claiming it was for us to rest up before my big test. I had to pass three challenges set up by him in order to earn our freedom. And to make things worse, the king placed some crystal around Katara and Sokka, claiming it had the ability to grow rapidly, to the point where it would overwhelm the body and suffocated them. Talk about a sadist!

And here was the first test, as hidden inside that waterfall was the key to the king's own lunchbox. I could only shake my head, wondering what type of madman would think of this trick. Earlier, Katara and Sokka commented that the king didn't seem to have his crown on straight, and I was more than happy to agree with them. But now, realizing that the crystals now covered one of their arms, I had to comply. So, balancing myself on the sharp rocks, I jumped across the formation, using my steps to propel me into the waterfall. I saw a dark ladder of sorts within the water, so if I could reach that, then I would be home-free.

Argh, this was harder than I thought! The water was pushing down on me in ways unimaginable. Not only was my grip on the metal ladder weakening, I was running out of air. If the king's objective was to push me to the limits, then he surely succeeded, because I couldn't take this anymore. Releasing the rung, I found myself shooting out of the water, heading straight for the sharp rocks again, with only my quick feet balancing against two stalagmites preventing me from being impaled. Looking around, maybe finding another way in was a better option.

Jetting myself to the top of the cave, I hung on from a stalactite and propelled into the waterfall that way. I even created an air drill around myself, just to give myself enough room and air supply as I dove head-first into the waterfall. But again, the water slammed down at me, not even giving me the chance to reach out to grab the key. As I was sent back to the sharp rocks, the king snorted from an above balcony, "That's right, keep diving head in. I'm sure it will work eventually." I hated to resort to anger this quickly, but that man was really getting on my nerves.

But wait, seeing that key dangle and swing from the chain gave me an idea. What if I found a way to chop the chain and pin the key right into position, so that the water couldn't wash it away? Taking a deep breath, I snapped off one of the stalagmites, aiming at the waterfall like a spear and hurled it with all my might. I followed this up with an air slice, going parallel to the spear and slicing into the water. I waited anxiously as the blade cut the chain off cleanly, the key landing right onto the spike and slamming it right above the balcony where the king was located with my friends. As the king looked at the key swinging above his face, I yelled from the top of the broken stalagmite, "Enjoy your lunch, but I want my friends back now!"

But the madman wasn't done with me yet. His second challenge involved having me retrieve his pet Flopsie. He led me to another rocky area, this one resembling a ranch more than a cave, where this lone rabbit sat conspicuously in the middle. "Daddy wants a kiss from him," the king announced, sounding like he was speaking to a baby. I nearly vomited hearing this old man talk to that animal like he was its parent or something. Oh well, at least he had a regard for living things, right? Stepping into the rocks, I crept up from behind the rabbit, ready to pounce.

Oops, big mistake, as that aroused the attention of something much larger. I turned around just in time to see a monstrous beast, standing at least twice my size, growling and baring its razor sharp fangs at me. The king couldn't be serious, right? Asking me to save his pet rabbit from this gargantuan beast? Realizing I wasn't exactly welcome here, I somersaulted away from the carnivore and chased after the rabbit. "Flopsie, wait!" I called to the rabbit rushing away from its predator. All the while, the king stood above us, cackling manically.

I didn't even have time to think about where I was going, other than just jumping rocks and dodging the monster's snapping teeth from behind me. The rabbit now rushed into a hole, slipping in just before I could reach it. Now I was at the mercy of this thing which probably had the jaw power to snap my body in two. Well, Flopsie, for an animal that the king loved so much, you sure knew how to react, huh? Hiding inside a hole while leaving me to fight this beast?

But the more I thought about it, the more it became weirder to me. If the rabbit was Flopsie, and the king loved it so much, there was no reason it would run away from him, right? Moreover, if the king loved Flopsie so much, surely he wouldn't sit back and watched this monster devour it before him, right? So what if Flopsie wasn't the rabbit, but the beast instead? Turning around, I faced the monster and called, "Flopsie?"

Indeed, just as I had guessed, Flopsie stopped his rampage and licked me! I couldn't believe it, but the most unlikely scenario came true. Bringing Flopsie outside the ring, where the king proceeded to scratch its belly, I glanced over at Katara and Sokka. Even though I did two tasks, the crystals weren't slowing their pace in growth. Katara and Sokka were almost all covered now, except for their heads and feet. Sokka's was so overwhelmingly heavy that it tipped him over, rendering him immobile. Realizing how serious this was, I had to finish the final test. "Come on," I called to the king, "I'm ready for the next challenge."

The last challenge took place in an earth bending arena of sorts, littered with rocks and boulders jutting out from the ground. The king stood before me, beckoning two individuals, both of which armoured and armed with dangerous weapons. "Your final test is a duel, and as a special treat, you may choose your opponent," the old man explained, "Point and choose."

My brain raced nonstop as I compared my odds against the two warriors. As an air bender, I was taught to fight defensively, avoiding going on offence unless absolutely necessary. Seeing the fierceness of the two warriors standing to the king's either side, I knew my chances against them weren't good. But if I was allowed to challenge someone of my choice, could that mean the king was included? Making a bold move, I pointed at the eccentric man himself. With his advanced age and frail body, I could run laps around him and just wasted his energy.

Unfortunately, this was the biggest mistake I could ever make. As the king threw off his strange purple robe, I saw a body that shouldn't even be attached to that head. Instead of a bony, teetering body, he was unbelievably fit, with muscles on his torso, arms, and legs. Gesturing to one of his guards, the king at least allowed me to have my staff, before jettisoning me into the arena with a flying earthen pole. "You thought I was a frail old man, but I'm the most powerful earth bender you'll ever see," he declared, evil laughter filling the air. Before I could even get into my stance, he jumped into the fray and sent three huge boulders straight into my face.

I leaped and dodged, trying to avoid the rocks as best as possible. "Typical air bender tactic, avoid and evade," the king sneered, "I thought the Avatar would be less predictable." With that, he stomped hard on the ground again, sending an even bigger rock at me. I turned my staff upward, twirling it nonstop as I sought to gain altitude. "Sooner or later, you'll have to strike back," the king taunted, sending another rock my way.

This time, I couldn't get away. The boulder slammed into the ceiling above, raining enough debris to disrupt the airflow through my staff and dropping me back to the ground. I was soon at his mercy as he stomped the ground furiously, sending rock after rock from the floor up at me. Despite trying to be as light as possible on my feet, I couldn't avoid them all, with one slamming into my chest just as I hopped to my left. Feeling the impact ring throughout my ribs, I had to resort to a more drastic measure if I wanted to win.

I got on my Air Scooter and buzzed around the room, hoping to go too fast for the king to trace my path. The king continued his rampaging rocks, but I dodged them all, getting in line with him before unleashing an air blast, the first attack I made that was actually targeted at him. But to my horror, he raised a rock shield and blocked it cleanly. "Did someone leave the window open? It feels a little drafty in here," he taunted, "Are you hoping I'll catch a cold?"

Then, in the most unusual move yet, the king flipped his shield onto the ground, jumping on top of it and tipped it back and forth like a seesaw. The result was an unbelievable attack, one that I had no description, nor defence, for. An earthen wave, snaking up and down, back and forth, sideways and diagonally, came slashing across the field at me. I had no idea where it would hit me, and ended up getting it right on my forehead. Even though my job was to beat him, I had to say he was very smart. Not many people could think that fast on their feet, and used techniques so unpredictable that no one had a defence for.

The next few moves almost felt like the king was toying with me. He placed me in quicksand, made me swirl above a gigantic boulder, and even sent a part of the arena at me. He was completely unpredictable, almost like there was no specific style to his techniques. But seeing that huge part of the stadium hovering above him, I had to do something before he flattened me. Waiting for him to throw it, I was going to use the wind in this tornado to send it right back at him. What went around would come around.

It worked! I couldn't believe it, but it worked, as the rocks went past me and straight back at him. I jumped out of my tornado and raced straight at where I thought the king was supposed to be, his position now covered by a dust storm. Just as I saw his face, I pointed my staff at his head, threatening to bend right into his body. The king's face softened, his hands lifting into the air. About time you surrendered, you crazy old man!

But I received another huge shock as the king merely pointed at the roof. My eyes slowly tilted up, seeing a huge boulder ready to smash my brains in. The king wasn't raising his hands to surrender, but to reform the very boulder my tornado whipped at him. He crushed the rock to avoid getting hit, but pushed it back together and used it to his advantage again! Yet instead of crushing me like a bug, the king congratulated me for my battle, tossing the rock aside like it was a pebble and inviting me back to the top of the arena.

Katara and Sokka were completely immobile now, with barely their faces showing from behind the crystals. "You've passed all my tests, now you must answer one question," the king stated. I nearly exploded at the prospects of the old man now going back on his word. He said he would release Katara and Sokka once I passed all the tests, so what more did he want from me? "Answer this one question and I will set your friends free: what is my name?"

My jaw hit the ground, not sure how to react. How was I supposed to know who this maniac was? The king grabbed his robe from a guard, warning me that it would take only a few minutes before the crystal suffocated Katara and Sokka to death. As I racked my brain, trying to figure out what clue the king was hinting at, Katara suggested I looked at his tests. "What did you learn from the challenges?" she asked, the crystals now stabbing into her tan face.

I went through my tests, thinking of what they all had in common. I had to approach the waterfall with a different technique, I had to fetch a pet that wasn't what most people considered a pet, and I fought an earth bender that could adapt to any style, hence forcing me to adapt to him. Every test made me do something in a different way, contrary to the methods I used before. I almost believed the king was a genius, even though Katara and Sokka believed he was mad. So was the king a mad genius then?

Then it hit me, as this mad genius happened to be the very person I knew from my younger days. Strolling into the throne room with both happiness and excitement, I made my announcement to the king. "As you said a long time ago, I had to open my brain to all the possibilities," I stated, reminding myself of the day when I was first introduced to the idea of using the mail chutes as a slide. I never thought I would see him, even though it had been a hundred years since we last met. "Bumi, you're a mad genius."

The king smiled, opening his arms for me to jump into his embrace. "You haven't changed a bit," Bumi commented. I couldn't believe it, as judging by the years, my old friend was now at least a hundred and ten years old. What did he do during all this time? And how did he end up becoming king? There were so many things I had to discuss with him, as I had a lot of catching up to do. But first, I had to make him free Katara and Sokka.

Bumi had his guards bring my friends up to him, their bodies now completely encased. Bumi raised a hand, pointing all five fingers at the crystals, and clenched it into a fist. In mere seconds, the crystals exploded into the air, causing me to duck away from the shards. As I looked up, I saw Bumi catching a few of the gems, snacking on them happily. "This is made of rock candy," he described, pointing at the crystal piece in his hand, "Delicious!"

As Katara and Sokka brushed off the pieces, Bumi got serious immediately. "The world has changed since the hundred years you were gone," he explained, "It's the duty of the Avatar to restore balance to the world by defeating Fire Lord Ozai. You have much to learn. You must master the four elements and confront the Fire Lord, and when you do, I hope you will think like a mad genius," he concluded, a distinctive twinkle glistening in his eyes.

I bowed to him, learning yet another important lesson from my old friend. Being the Avatar meant learning all four elements, which involved having me walk in the shoes of these other cultures. There was no doubt in my mind that I had a difficult task ahead, and I would have to work hard in order to achieve it. With Katara and Sokka around, I was sure to see this journey through no matter what. But since we were in Omashu, and I had so much catching up to do with Bumi, why leave so quickly? Now who wanted to ride down the chutes again?

________________________________________

**Aang's POV**

"Hello, spirit? Can you hear me?" My voice echoed off the surrounding houses as the town became silent. We were on our way across the Earth Kingdom when we landed at an open area, completely void of any life whatsoever. My heart sank just seeing this crater in the middle of nowhere, another sign of the Fire Nation's power as they scorched the entire forest. It was just another example of the world's suffering after my hundred-year absence, and still I wasn't ready to fix things. No one ever taught me how to protect nature before, so what should I do?

I moved to the gates of the village, looking into the forests as it got quite a bit darker around me. This village was closest to the burned area, and the village elder reported of an odd event, where a spirit named Hei Bai would venture out of the woods and kidnapped one person every night. It had been going on for a while now, and since I was making my stop here, they asked me for help. They told me I was the bridge between the Spirit World and the real world, which I had no idea what it meant. Seriously, why did this have to be so difficult?

"I hereby ask you to please leave this village in peace!" I exclaimed, waving my hands to the woods. I had no idea what was going to happen, and was much more interested in going back to the main house, where Katara and Sokka were. Katara showed me an acorn before the village elder approached me, telling me that each acorn would grow back into a full tree. I had one such acorn in my pocket, and it was a reminder that, just like this forest regenerating itself, I also had a chance to fix the world. I felt better after hearing Katara tell me about this, and it was with her encouragement that I agreed to help this village. Why couldn't everyone in the world be like her?

As I slowly strolled back, I had a sudden premonition that something was hovering around me. I couldn't put my finger on it, but I knew it was something unusual. Slowly turning my body, I suddenly came face to face with the most fearsome thing in the world. It had a long face, sharp teeth, four legs thicker than tree trunks, and an extra set of limbs just behind its head. "You must be the Hei Bai spirit," I greeted it, stuttering furiously as I tried to calm down.

But the spirit wouldn't listen to me, as it unleashed two roars, one at me and the other into the sky, before rampaging off deeper into the village. Before long, the monster was levelling everything in its path, using both its extra set of limbs and its sonic roar to demolish just about every building. It didn't help that it was teleporting rather than running, meaning I had a hard time trying to catch up. Climbing onto the roof of a house, I saw Hei Bai pounding a water tower to the ground. "I command you to turn around now!" I yelled at it.

Oops, bad move, as Hei Bai just swung a fist at me. I was hit so hard and fast that I couldn't even use air bending to slow myself down. By the time I got up, Sokka had charged out, offering to help me. I was about to tell him to go back when Hei Bai teleported from behind us and snatched Sokka instead! Great, so not only did I have an angry spirit destroying the woods, it was capturing my friend too! Grabbing my staff, I flipped it into a glider and followed the spirit. I might not have experience as the Avatar, but I did have experience in saving my friends.

The trees were nothing but a blur as I followed the black and white shape dashing through the forest. Sokka's voice called to me repeatedly, my friend completely helpless in the hand of the beast. I tried to get closer, frustrated by how fast this spirit could run. Not too many things could out-speed air benders, and I was impressed by its abilities. I stretched out my hand to Sokka, just close enough for him to grab onto it...

Just then, I lost my balance, the spirit disappearing from our world as I was left to flutter aimlessly on my glider. I tried to steer the out-of-control glider, but to no avail, and ended up crashing into a statue. Every part of my body shook as I crumpled to the ground, my body growing limp. Whatever light still there soon disappeared and I lost all consciousness.

By the time I came to, it was already the middle of the night. I shook my head a few times, but it didn't take a genius to figure out that Hei Bai and Sokka were both gone. Dejected by my failure, I trudged back to the village. I was never taught any of these skills before, so to have them thrust upon me by this village was too overwhelming. Now, knowing Sokka was the next victim, I didn't know how the villagers would react knowing I failed once more. And what's more, would Katara take it easily, given that this was her brother that was kidnapped?

I returned to the gates, only to see Katara and the village elder comforting each other. The elder draped a cloak over my friend, telling her to get some rest, before heading off himself. I called out to them, but to no avail. It was like they were ignoring me completely. Even Appa, who lumbered up to Katara, couldn't notice me at all. Were they so stricken by grief that they didn't have the energy to even look up? I lifted my hand, waving it in Katara's face, trying to get her attention. Just then, I saw something scary: I become translucent. "I'm in the Spirit World!"

I stood there, next to Katara's slouched body, trying to figure out what to do. It was near sunrise, and there was still no way of getting me back into my body. "Avatar Roku, how can I talk to you?" I shouted to the skies. If there was a time for some spiritual advice, now would be appropriate. And while we were there, could Roku help me deal with Hei Bai?

Just then, a strange glow in the distance caught my eye. I followed it as it got bigger and bigger, and saw its true form: a dragon. Somehow, I didn't think it was a friendly creature, flying in at me at such great speed. I turned to flip my glider open, but somehow couldn't take off. To my horror, I just found out that all my bending disappeared in the Spirit World, meaning this thing was just going to pick me off. I guessed outrunning it wasn't an option, huh?

The dragon suddenly came to a screeching halt before me, jabbing one of its whiskers onto my forehead. Suddenly, a vision of Avatar Roku riding said dragon came into my mind. This dragon wasn't any animal, it was Roku's animal guide, kind of like what Appa was to me. Beckoning me to climb on, I grabbed its scaly skin and sat behind its head. I had never ridden a dragon before, so this was bound to be fun. At least, it better be more fun than the Unagi!

Being on a dragon was totally different than a Sky Bison. While Appa was strong, sturdy, and stable, Roku's dragon was sleek, fast, and graceful. Before long, the forest beneath me just whisked by, soon replaced by open seas. I tried to gather all landmarks, in case I had to return here. Before long, an island came into view, with a strange pagoda on top of a river of lava. There was no doubt about it: we were in the Fire Nation. As the dragon entered the temple, we zipped up the floors, causing me to grab hold, still surprised that we could pass through walls and ceilings. I hoped I could remember this trait didn't exist if I ever returned to my body, otherwise I would be in for a world of pain!

The mad ride ended when the dragon placed me before a statue of Roku. It wasn't making my life easier, as I still had no way to talk to him. I glanced back at the dragon, asking what Roku was trying to tell me and how I could speak to Roku. Instead, the dragon placed its whisker on my head again. I suddenly saw a bright comet, followed by the sun rising and setting near the temple. Then, I was placed back into reality, where a pink light shined in from behind the dragon and onto Roku's statue. Although the clues were hard to piece together, I figured it out. Roku wanted to tell me about some comet, and I could only speak to him during the Winter Solstice, in which the pink light reflected from outside would shine onto Roku's statue.

But I couldn't wait that long, as Sokka was still in danger. Turning back to the dragon, I requested it took me back to the forest where I first lost consciousness. We zinged through the ocean and back onto land, aiming straight for the statue in the burned woods. Somehow, my body erected itself during my absence, and the dragon was diving headfirst to the scene. Gritting my teeth nervously, I could only hope the collision wouldn't smash me to bits.

Luckily, it didn't, and I was ready to go back to the village. After testing that my glider worked, I flew back to the gates, through the torn-down houses and into the elder's residence, where Katara rushed out to greet me. Unfortunately, I had to bring her the bad news that Sokka was nowhere to be found, but now I had another idea. Katara showed me the acorn that could regenerate the trees, and the dragon showed me Roku, who could supposedly tell me how to regenerate the world. So why not show the spirit this same idea?

I waited until nightfall again, my eyes peeled for the forest as I pressed the acorn in my pocket. I was still quite scared, but at least I had some confidence in me. The wind howled near me as I glanced around, trying to find Hei Bai. But this time, instead of rumbling through the gate, Hei Bai appeared from underground, bursting through the rocks with its sonic roar and racing straight for the elder's house. I wasn't about to make the same mistake again as I raced after it, air bending myself over his body and to his head. Pressing my hand onto his forehead, I slowly used the ability the dragon unlocked for me, and read into the spirit's mind.

It was there that I saw the spirit for what it was: it was a panda bear, one of the strangest animals ever. It had an unusual white body and face, but black patches around its eyes, black ears, and black limbs. They didn't exist in the real world, but legend had it that they existed in another world. I figured that the Spirit World counted as an alternate dimension, so there was one reason how they could live. "You're the spirit of the forests. You're upset and angry because your home was burned down," I discovered, slowly landing on the ground before Hei Bai, "But my friend gave me hope that the forest would grow back." With that, I offered the acorn Katara gave me earlier. It was a wild shot, but if this would calm Hei Bai down, then it was worth it.

Hei Bai seemed to understand, changing from the monster form back into the panda bear form. Making a full turn, Hei Bai lumbered away, leaving the village and sprouting bamboo at the gate. And nothing made me happier than to see a group of villagers climb out, Sokka included. I could barely give him a hug when he hurried off, claiming he had to use the bathroom. Well, perhaps Hei Bai ought to be kinder to his prisoners, but all's good now, right?

When Sokka returned, I had to break the news to them. "There's a temple on an island. And if I go there on the Solstice, I'll be able to speak to Roku," I explained, much to the delight of my friends. They were a bit concerned that I might not make it in time, given the Solstice was tomorrow, but I doubted that would be their biggest concern once I revealed the location. "The island is in the Fire Nation," I concluded, turning their cheer into fear. With one big task down, we had another one to go, and this one involved a risk much higher than anything we did before.

________________________________________

**Aang's POV**

"I have something very important to tell you, Aang," the imposing figure in dark red robes spoke to me in an ominous voice. I finally managed to convince Katara and Sokka to go to Roku's island with me, and together we got into his temple. Upon entering, we were pursued by the Fire Sages, who wanted to capture us for the Fire Lord. Luckily, one of them happened to be on our side, and offered to let us see Roku. Unfortunately, the final chamber was, just like it was in the Southern Air Temple, only opened via bending (for this case, fire instead of air), and Sokka had to use "fake" fire bending by lighting explosives and setting them off.

Even though it didn't work, Katara claimed the residue on the pipes could convince the sages that I went in. Instead, I would wait until the Fire Sages shot fire through the pipes, opening the door for me to rush in. Things nearly didn't work out when Zuko, the Fire Prince who kept on pursuing us since the South Pole, nearly grabbed me. But I managed to escape and slipped through the doors before they closed. After the light struck the statue's face, I was now meeting with my predecessor one-on-one, standing on top of some mountain with clouds around us.

"One hundred years ago, Fire Lord Sozin used that comet to begin the war," Roku explained, taking me back in time. Roku told me earlier the dragon that originally brought me here was indeed his, and he intended his animal guide to show me this temple all along. "He and his fire bending army harnessed its incredible power and dealt a deadly first strike against the other nations. They are stronger than you could even imagine."

I gulped hard, wondering what it could possibly mean for me. The only fire benders I took on were Zuko and his crew, although I had seen other fire benders fight, such as those on the off shore prison rig I went to before. Normally, I would just evade their every move, hoping not to get hit myself, but I couldn't possibly envision all that power multiplying itself. Turning back to Roku, I asked, "What does the comet have to do with the war now?"

Then, Roku unleashed some scary news. "Sozin's Comet will return by the end of this summer, and Fire Lord Ozai will use it to finish the war once and for all." I envisioned a fiery scene before me, a silhouette of the Fire Lord bathing in the fire, gathering in its energy before releasing it in a fiery breath straight into the air. "If he succeeds, then even the Avatar won't be able to restore balance to the world," Roku added, his face replacing the scary vision, "Aang, you must defeat the Fire Lord before the comet arrives."

My entire body went clammy and cold, shivers going up my spine involuntarily. Given I had less than a year to master all the elements, was this even possible? "I haven't even started learning water bending, not to mention earth and fire," I pointed out, my arms waving frantically. While Roku conceded that it normally took years to master all four elements, I had to do them by summer's end if I wanted the world to survive. "What if I can't master all the elements in time? What if I fail?" There was no doubt that things were getting desperate, as I hadn't even begun to prepare for the North Pole yet. As if my world didn't crash hard enough when I found Gyatso's body, now this had to happen. Was I going to lose all my fun times because of this?

But Roku was adamant that I faced my task. "I know you can do it, Aang, for you have done it before," Roku replied firmly, referring to my past lives. I didn't know what history they had, but whatever it was, this task was somehow doable to them. I just found it unfair that suddenly, I had to take this all on my own without any assistance whatsoever. I bet no Avatar in the past had to do this with the world on the line, so why me?

Before I could say anything to Roku, he interrupted my train of thought. "The solstice is ending, and we must go our separate ways for now," he concluded, ready to warp me back to the real world, "I am a part of you, so when you have to talk to me again, you'll find a way." He then broadcasted a vision in my mind, one that involved a Fire Nation naval fleet and elite soldiers lined up right outside the room. "I can help you face the threat, but only if you are ready."

Taking a deep breath, I agreed to let Roku help me. Both our bodies glowed as we fused into one, activating the Avatar State once more. We were soon away from the mountain scene and back to the real world as the doors leading to the chamber creaked open. Soon enough, we were greeted by a hail of fire, stronger than anything I had ever seen. But I bet for Roku, this was nothing big, since he dealt with this type of power all the time. Then, as one, Roku and I absorbed the fire and spun it around, hurling it straight at the soldiers.

I felt as if my body acted on its own, performing techniques that I never knew before as the flames blasted past the soldiers and straight for the pillars, where I could make out the shapes of Katara and Sokka, the Fire Prince, and the sage that helped us. The fire scorched the chains, melting them completely as the soldiers all pulled back. Roku and I then slammed a hand into the ground, creating a fissure in which lava was pulled from the underground chambers upwards. I felt Roku most likely did this to prevent the Fire Nation from using knowledge found in here to their advantage, so destroying the temple was the only way to go. Personally, I wasn't so sure about this, as there was no other place where I could contact Roku anymore. He didn't exactly give me specific instructions about how I could contact him, so what could I do now?

Just as sudden as that burst of energy was, it disappeared again. I felt Roku's spirit leaving my body, returning to the Spirit World while I crumpled to the ground, too dazed to even react. I could feel two sets of arms hold onto me, with blurry visions of Katara and Sokka to my either side as they dragged me out of the now-shaking temple. There wasn't much time left before the lava melted this whole place, and I wasn't keen on being cooked alive.

Luckily, as we got to the edge, Appa flew into the gap. I could finally feel myself calming down when I hopped on. Glancing back, I saw the temple fall over, the lava furiously pumping out of the island and through the entire structure that was the pagoda. It was only then that I returned to thinking about Roku's words. If what he said was true, then it was a reflection of what the monk's told me a hundred years ago, when they predicted storm clouds gathering in the horizon. Even though I ran away from home all those years ago, trying to avoid having my life stripped from me, it felt like déjà vu all over again.

But perhaps this was the biggest test ever, being able to let go of what I had been used to and facing the challenge. Part of an Avatar's journey was to walk in the shoes of other cultures, and that meant I had to do the same. But I envisioned it to be a fun experience, where I got to do all the fun stuff other people did. I never expected myself to learn their ways while worrying about the destruction of the world. Even though Roku had confidence in me, did I really have what it took to succeed? I just didn't know if I could handle that pressure being placed on me.

Dusk turned to night as Appa continued flying back to land. I realized the whole time, I sat away from Katara and Sokka. I glanced over my shoulder, and saw them looking eagerly at me. I knew they cared about me, and wanted the best no matter what happened. They perhaps sensed something wrong, and slowly made their way over. Placing their arms around me, they pulled me into a group hug, reminding me how much we meant to each other. From now on, I would never take them for granted ever again. I might still doubt my abilities, but I would never doubt their loyalty to me. They were the best friends I could ever hope for.

________________________________________

**Aang's POV**

"That fisherman was way out of line," Katara's soothing voice echoed off the walls. We landed at a fishing port, where Sokka decided to work for a local fisherman to make some money for buying food. Unfortunately, the fisherman recognized me as the Avatar and an uncomfortable exchange of words occurred. True to air bender philosophy, I tried not to talk back, opting to let the conflict slide past, but what the fisherman said was too much for me to bear. How could he say I just abandoned the world for no reason?

But in hindsight, what he said was absolutely true. I did abandon the world, and I did let the world down. I thought after my journey to the Spirit World to meet Avatar Roku really sobered me up to reality, but my playful side took over my mind again, and I was back to having fun rather than thinking of ways to better myself. The other day, I ended up going into a forest where my group met this guy called Jet, who led a group known as the Freedom Fighters to fend off the Fire Nation from their area. But just seeing the way he lived, with shelters up in the trees and zipping between them on ropes, that's just too fun to overlook. I would have wanted to stay there forever, until we found out Jet's ulterior motives. Seriously, why did even the fun people get so uptight about what's going on?

Before long, Katara knelt beside me, while Appa lumbered in from the back, giving me a wet lick. I just didn't feel comfortable talking to anyone about this, but Katara insisted. I always felt the most at ease when around her, and right now did I ever want her presence. "I'll try and get a fire going," she suggested, strolling around the cave looking for materials.

As a fire slowly burned before me, I finally felt calm enough to talk. "I'll never forget the day the monks told me I was the Avatar," I began, taking Katara back a century ago. I was with my friends, teaching them the Air Scooter technique when Gyatso and the others approached me, telling me we had to speak privately. It was then they told me I was the Avatar, and that a war was on the horizon. "I didn't know how to feel about it, but after I found out, everything began changing," I stated, dipping my head and refusing to look at Katara.

Katara looked on as I continued by sad tale, starting with my friends all abandoning me when they felt I had an unfair advantage every time I played with them. It didn't help that some of the other training monks were instructed to focus extra hard on my techniques, honing whatever skills I already learned. Even though they told me they were merely offering advice to fine-tune my air bending, I couldn't help but feel they were being unnecessarily picky, almost like they were finding fault where there was none. And other than the few times when Gyatso came to my room to challenge me to Pai Sho, I was pretty much isolated and alone.

"Gyatso was the one to put everything into perspective for me," I muttered, "But when I was starting to feel better, something worse happened." It was the most unfair and unjust act the monks could have done when they decided Gyatso and I ought to be separated. They felt Gyatso was a distraction to my training, and would send me to another air temple until a water tribe could be contacted, whereby I would begin water bending. "They want to take away everything I knew and everyone I love!" I roared, shooting out from my seated position and stalking to another part of the cave. I was so angry that the air around me swirled violently, and it would have blown out the fire had I not stepped away.

"You have a right to be angry after the monks sent you away like that," Katara replied, not looking impressed either. Well, at least one person other than Gyatso understood what was going on. I had no idea how Katara did it, but she always found a way to make those around her be at ease. Maybe it was her social skills, or maybe it was her ability to be observational and read people, but whatever the case, I always felt better after talking to her. Maybe if I finished telling her to full story, she could put me on the right path again?

"Well, that's not exactly what happened," I corrected Katara. I actually never went to a different air temple. Instead, in my fear of isolation and separation, I wrote Gyatso a note stating that I couldn't handle the pressure anymore, boarded Appa in the middle of the night, and flew away. It was then that I ran into the storm, forcing Appa and I underwater and creating that iceberg, staying encased in that thing for a century. "Next thing I knew, I was waking up in your arms," Even though I wasn't as angry and confused as I was before, I couldn't say I was any better off. It felt like I got out of one mess just to enter another mess. "My people needed me and I wasn't there to help," I added, referring to the Fire Nation attack on the air temples, "The world needed me and I wasn't there to help! The fisherman was right, I did turn my back on the world."

"I think you're being too hard on yourself," Katara replied, her tone gentle and patient. I wasn't too keen on seeing things from her perspective right now, given how this war had gone on for a century, all the while I should have been there to stop it. But at the same time, it was still too much for me to handle, as I just couldn't find it in me to face the reality. Was I just running away from my problems even more? Regardless, Katara continued, "Even if you did run away, I think it was meant to be. If you had stayed, you would have been killed along with all the other air benders. The world needs you now, you give people hope."

I gave her a smile, watching her bright face from the other side of the fire. She was right about one thing: the world's mess was too big, and it was time that we sorted through the years of fighting. There was no point in dwelling on the past, continuing to run away from my problem by immersing myself with fun and games. I was here, I had to face the war, and like it or not, the people alive today were my responsibility, whether they accepted me or not. I could only make the best out of this situation, and continued to focus on what's important. It didn't mean I would be all work and no play, but at least I would approach this with a more balanced attitude. And besides, knowing Katara was going to help me through this, I didn't have a fear in the world!


	30. Aang, Part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Each character grows up with a set of experiences unique to themselves. Watch each person describe what went through their minds and how they changed as they reacted to the world. These are their stories, these are their rites of passage.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: Michael DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko own Avatar.

**Aang's POV**

My entire body froze up as this strange masked figure entered my cell. Originally, I went into the mountains to get some medicine for Katara and Sokka, who came down with an illness. I heard that the only way to save them was to have them suck on frozen frogs, hence my journey. I would have made it back safely had it not been some archers shooting their arrows at me. Before long, I was face-to-face with a guy calling himself Admiral Zhao, although if I had a choice, I would call him Admiral Oversized-Sideburns. What's with that facial hair?

But Zhao chained me by my arms and legs in spread formation, making it impossible for me to bend other than with my mouth. It didn't help that he tortured me further by reminding me of my status as the last air bender, making me want to blow him out of this place. But now, this strange fellow with a blue mask came into the room, whipping out dual swords and stalked up to me. Boy, Zhao sure knew how to mess with a guy's mind. As if his nasty words from earlier weren't enough, now he had to bring in this scary guy? The sooner I got out of here, the better!

Before I could even react, my hands dropped from their chained positions, and I could feel my feet getting looser too. I hesitantly tilted my eyes, and found the chains completely shattered. Whoever this masked figure was, he freed me from the binds. So whose side was he on? "Who are you? What's going on? Are you here to rescue me?" I called to the mystery man, gently rubbing my wrists while watching him stalk back to the door.

No response from the masked figure, who beckoned me to the door. I would take that as a yes, given this was the way out. I had no idea what happened out there, but seeing how guards were all tied up and disabled, I would say this guy was a pretty good fighter. Just as we turned to corner, I felt some squirming in my tunic. I took a look down and, to my horror, my frozen frogs were thawing out, some of them escaping as well. "Come back, and stop thawing out," I cried, frantically trying to pick up the now-moving creatures. But I couldn't get my hands on any of them at all, as the masked man returned and dragged me out by the collar. "My friends need to suck on those frogs!" I shouted, my voice echoing off the walls.

We navigated the sewers and through the courtyard, taking us to the main gate, where I was first brought in. It was only now that I realized how truly dangerous this was. All the fun and games that I expected were truly no longer around. The Fire Nation had spies and scouts all over the place, leaving me with no place to hide. They were for real when Roku said they wanted to take over the world, stopping at nothing to make further advancements in the Earth Kingdom. Right now they had many rural areas under their control, but I doubted it would be long before they took over cities as well. I just hope Bumi in Omashu would by okay when they attacked.

"The Avatar has escaped! Close all the gates immediately!" Admiral Zhao was on the loose again, his voice booming from the towers while guards poured out in every direction. We were really busted this time, as the front door would be blocked off for sure. Looking around, we found a side door that was still ajar. If we hustled through that one before the guards got to it, maybe we could still escape? Not even taking time to think, we raced to that exit's direction.

But no such luck, as all the guards in that area now had their spears pointed at us. I managed to defeat a few in my spot with air bending, snatching one of their spears and using it in similar fashion as my staff, which I left with Katara and Sokka. But the masked man wasn't as lucky as me, as he had, at least to my observation, no bending. Figuring a way to help him, I stood before the mysterious figure, using a surrounding air blast to shoot the guards away before aiming him for the wall. Let's see how well a non-bender could be propelled up this thing.

I blasted up the wall after him, making sure him was alright before propelling us to the next wall. This fortress had a series of walls stacked one in front of another, and with guards all over the ground, the only way to navigate out was in the air. Even though there were no guards attacking from nearby, it didn't stop their attacks from below. Don't they know when to quit?

I focused on the guards climbing through the trapdoors at the next wall, blasting them away with air while my masked rescuer dealt with other people now attempting to climb up to us using ladders. I didn't want to hurt them, as that would be against Air Nomad philosophy, so I had to aim my blasts extra carefully. Once I was done with the guys at the trapdoors, I turned to the ones on the ladders, shooting them off the ladders while making sure they would not suffer life-threatening injuries. But seeing how high these ladders could reach gave me in idea. What if I used them as poles to vault us over the walls? Wouldn't that be faster than grabbing a broken spear and using it as a propeller? Figuring it was worth a shot, I quickly snatched two ladders.

I leaped onto a ladder located on the side of the wall that faced the outside, holding onto another ladder in my hands while handing a third one to the masked man. "Jump on my back," I hollered, hoping to use our combined weight to manoeuvre our way out. To my surprise, it was working quite well, as we actually managed to make our way across the courtyard. I used the one I held as the next crutch, pushing it closer to the next wall, before asking the mysterious man to give me the last one. Just a little more and we could make it...

Yikes, the ladder was on fire! I could feel the flames shooting up to my feet, the guards from below ready to ambush us when we fell. I lunged for the last wall, but to no avail, as the stone wall fell from my grasp. Had it not been a relatively low fall, I was willing to bet we would be smashed to bits now. Great, Katara and Sokka were sick to the point of delusional, and I had to nurse broken bones. How much better could this night get?

"The Avatar must be captured alive," Zhao's voice ordered. Apparently, Mr. Oversized-Sideburns decided to drag himself down here just to laugh at our misery further. But I barely had time to react when the masked figure put his blades to my neck. He inched back to the doors while threatening to decapitate me. I had no idea what was going on, but Zhao's face went from elated to furious, showing off that famous scowl we saw the last few times we fought each other. I saw his face before when I was in the Fire Nation temple, although he never saw me since I was fused with Avatar Roku. Apparently, his supposedly famous temper was on full force right now, with his plan to catch me thwarted. Either I went with my mysterious rescuer-turned-assassin, or I would be subject to Zhao's volcanic temper. I didn't know which was worse.

Zhao ordered his men to open the gates, and I felt the masked man slowly back out of the fortress with me, his hands never leaving my shoulders. The darkness rolled right over us, chilling my body as we crossed the drawbridge. A bit further, and we would be into the woods. Well, at least I had something to work with in escaping, right? What if I used my air slice to snap off a few branches, disable the masked man, and made a run for it?

Yikes, what happened? Before I could even blink, an arrow slammed into the mask, knocking my kidnapper unconscious. I turned back to the fortress as saw Zhao's men rush out from the front gate. I didn't make it out of this place just to get dragged back in again, so I pulled up a fog screen to confuse the troops while I tried to make an escape. I pulled on the mysterious stranger, only to have the mask fall off to reveal a scarred face. My entire body froze up at the sight of the individual. How could my rescuer be Prince Zuko, son of the Fire Lord? What was his reasoning behind infiltrating that fort and pulling me out?

But no time to waste, as Zhao's men were too close for comfort. Keeping the fog up, I grabbed Zuko and raced into the woods, hoping to get away at least for the night. I didn't stop running until we were deep in the heart of the forest, placing Zuko down near a fallen log while I plopped down next to him. It was then that I managed to look at the banished prince, realizing that he wasn't that much different than most Fire Nation kids. Just like Kuzon, he was fearless enough to go across the world looking for me, he had determination to the point where he would tackle any obstacle just to accomplish his task, and he had the smarts to sneak in undercover while being resourceful enough to fight without bending. Had the war not been going on, he would be just like an older version of Kuzon. He didn't have to fight me, and I didn't have to run away all the time. We could have been great friends had everything just worked out.

I didn't sleep too much, not with these thoughts eating away at my brain. I had to find some way to not just end the war, but to make the nations friends again. Whatever worked out a century ago clearly wasn't working today, so I had to think of something new. Moreover, I still had to get frozen frogs for Katara and Sokka. By the time Zuko came to, it was already morning. Taking a look at him, I described my experience with the Fire Nation. "He was one of the best friends I ever had, and he was from the Fire Nation, just like you," I told Zuko about Kuzon, "If we knew each other back then, do you think we could have been friends too?"

Zuko's reaction was all that it took for me to get out of there quickly. I leaped out of the way just as his fire fist came crashing to the forest floor. Jumping into the tree, I took my sign to get out of here, hoping a stream was nearby so I could collect my frozen frogs. It might be too big a stretch to get Zuko to befriend us right now, but whatever the case, I had to give it a shot. It would be crucial if we wanted the world to have peace again.

________________________________________

**Aang's POV**

A smoking leaf was thrust into my hands, its texture both frail but hard as the old man with wild hair cast a set of uncompromising eyes on me. "Concentrate on the fire," he ordered, "I want you to keep this flame from reaching the edges of the leaf for as long as you can." I really wondered what this man knew about fire bending at all.

Said man was Jeong Jeong, a deserter of the Fire Nation military, and supposedly the first to live to tell the tale. We ran across one of his men at a nearby town festival, where I ended up blowing my cover to protect Katara from being burned in a stunt gone wrong. The man who helped us, Chey, was also a Fire Nation military deserter, and told us about Jeong Jeong, who was a fire bending master. Since this was probably the only chance that I had to meet someone of the Fire Nation who was against the war, I decided to approach Jeong Jeong in hopes of learning some fire bending from him. But this bitter old man wasn't swayed, claiming I had no self-control and that I ought to go with the Avatar Cycle, learning water and earth before coming back to him. I didn't know what changed his mind, as I felt Avatar Roku's presence in the room when I first spoke to him, but he finally decided to go along with the plan.

"This is the worst fire bending instructor ever," I commented as Jeong Jeong ran off with one of his men, claiming there was trouble in the area. During my time with Jeong Jeong, I never even got a chance to see fire being created. All day long he talked about feeling the sun's rays and learning to breathe properly. Heck, he even put me into a horse stance at the most random times, almost like he was doing it for fun, just to torture me! Now I had to hold on to this stupid leaf when I should be creating fireworks? What kind of fun was this?

Suddenly, I felt the leaf between my fingers ignite rapidly, creating a huge fireball in my palms. "I did it, I made fire!" I exclaimed. Katara should be nearby practicing her water bending, right? Wouldn't it be great if she could come see this? "Katara, come here!" I hollered.

Indeed, my good friend was at the shore, watching me juggle the fireball while I teetered on this small piece of rock in the middle of the river. I tilted back and forth, testing my balance several times while making the fire become more dynamic. Even though Katara claimed I would hurt myself, I didn't see what the big worry was. Didn't I tell Katara before that bending was about letting go of fear? What better way to show her I had none by doing a couple of daredevil tricks? Juggling the fireball back and forth, around my body and over my head, I tried to perform the same trick that juggler from the festival did. Spinning around, I gathered the fire in my arms and blasted them sideways, creating a perfect circle of flames around me.

"Argh!" Katara's screams snapped me back to reality. She crumpled to the ground, grabbing her hands in pain. Suddenly, whatever daredevil tricks I had in my mind faded. Katara whimper uncontrollably, her arms convulsing uncontrollably as Sokka rushed to her.

I tried to get a good look at Katara's hands, realizing I burned her real good. But before I could even get close, Sokka leaped over Katara's body and pinned me to the ground. "I told you we shouldn't mess around with this, look what you did! You burned my sister!" he yelled, "This is all your fault!" With that, he ran after Katara, who now raced into the woods in tears. Before I knew it, I found myself isolated from the group, feeling the whole world crashing onto my head.

With nowhere left to go, I crawled into Jeong Jeong's hut and sat in the corner, with only his candles lighting my way. I never would have thought that my attempt to use a quicker way to learn another element would backfire so quickly. Everyone said I had to learn the elements as soon as possible, but now Jeong Jeong had to force me to stick to the order. But if the war kept going the way it did, would the Fire Nation still want to teach the Avatar fire bending? If I didn't get started on fire bending right now, opting to do water and earth first, there might not be any chances left. Why couldn't Jeong Jeong just see that?

But the more I thought about it, the more I realized this event was entirely my fault. I let my priority of having fun get ahead of safety and diligence, leading me to burn Katara's hands. Even when Jeong Jeong warned me about patience and self-discipline, to the point where he told me he was ashamed of a former student who lacked such, I ended up making the same mistake. I thought I could pull off some stunts, and ended up hurting those I loved. None of this would have happened had I not rushed in without thinking. With how destructive fire was, should I approach it again? I believed I should never touch this element again for the rest of my life.

"Aang, I'm healed," Katara's voice sliced into my moping. I whipped my head around to see her hands up against my face, with no signs of any burnt skin at all. I was flabbergasted at the lack of damage to her palms. How did she do it? "We have to get out of here," Katara continued, cutting short any chance for me to investigate, "Zhao and his soldiers are attacking."

Blasting from my seat, I realized Jeong Jeong might be in danger. I was the one who made him teach me this harmful element, meaning by association I made him guilty of the burns inflicted onto Katara. If there was anything I could do to help him, this would be it. Taking off into the forest, I hoped Jeong Jeong could stand his own against Zhao. While I didn't doubt his abilities, I was concerned he might be outnumbered. Besides, with that madman around, I was afraid Jeong Jeong would be subject to torture from Zhao.

By the time I arrived, it was too late. Zhao had his men surround Jeong Jeong while he turned his eyes to me. I could only watch in horror as the soldiers jabbed their spears in the fire bending master's direction, leaving him no room to manoeuvre. I was about to holler out, but Jeong Jeong was one step quicker. Surrounding himself with a fireball, he shot the blasts in every direction, knocking down the troops before leaping into the forests. I had no idea how he pulled off all those moves in less than a second, but it was truly an amazing sight.

But with the soldiers running into the woods after Jeong Jeong, it meant I was left to face Zhao alone. "Let's see what my former master taught you," he sneered. So Zhao was the former student that Jeong Jeong was ashamed of? Jeong Jeong said that individual had no self-control and only cared for destruction, and given how Zhao blasted anything that moved, I guessed it was somewhat accurate. Taking a deep breath, I prepared to face off against the admiral.

I face two huge blasts coming straight at me, forcing me to leap out of the way. Even though I suffered no hits, I couldn't say the same about the forest behind me. "I see he taught you how to run and duck like a coward," Zhao smugly pointed out, "But I doubt he showed you what a fire bender is truly capable of." With that, he blasted even bigger shots at me, causing me to flip, jump, and duck in almost impossible ways. When would this madness end?

But it was with those hits that I found out how much self-control Zhao lacked. Not only did he completely miss his target, he set half the coastline on fire. With this type of bending, it wouldn't be long before he hurt himself. So what if I turned the blasts against him? Taking a look around, I saw the three boats Zhao docked behind him, and that gave me an idea. Let's see how Zhao would react if he found out he just lit his own fleet on fire.

I raced along the waterfront and towards his boats, taunting him along the way. "Is that all you got?" I joked as he missed several shots again, "They'll make anyone an admiral these days." I jumped onto the nearest ship and dodged another blast. I could feel his anger rising, his furious growl echoing off the hull. "I thought you'd be better than Zuko," I continued, using a fellow fire bender to taunt him. To an extent that was true, as I had never seen Zuko light an entire forest on fire. Hey, he got me out of Zhao's fortress without any bending at all, so that must count for something, right? By the way, did Zhao even know that masked man was Zuko?

By then, at least one of his ships was on fire, and now I just had to goad him into lighting the other two on fire as well. "Sloppy, very sloppy," I commented, marching onto boat number two. Zhao was really losing it as his blasts got harder and fiercer, the flames shooting through all the openings of this boat. By the time I got onto the last boat, all I had to do was wait for him.

Indeed, he leaped onto the third boat with me, claiming I had nowhere to run. I took a gander at the other two boats, and indeed they were on fire. Now, as Zhao prepared to send a fist into my face, I made the final move. Getting into a squat, I let the fire blast go above my head, before soaring into the air and somersaulting over him. Landing on his other side, I point out, "You lost this battle." Even though I didn't throw a single blow, Zhao did the rest. His own blind pursuit of me turned into a rampage, lighting his whole fleet on fire.

"Jeong Jeong said you had no restraint," I continued, jumping off the now crumbling ship and back onto dry land. I could see Zhao's shoulders heave up and down, the hot-headed admiral hyperventilating in anger. "Have a nice walk home," I added, before racing back into the woods.

I quickly boarded Appa and took off, realizing that today, I had been taught a harsh lesson. There was a different between letting go of fear and being negligent, and that having fun didn't mean I had to be reckless. I vowed never to bend fire again, opting to focus on learning the other elements properly first. For now, I was intent on reconciling with my friends, especially Katara, who somehow found out this new healing technique. With her new-found ability, I could tell things were looking up for us in the future.

________________________________________

**Teo's POV**

"When are they coming?" Aang demanded, glaring at my father. I got the surprise of a lifetime a few days back when the Avatar himself visited the Northern Air Temple. I had been living here along with most people from my former village after it was flooded. Monks used to live here a hundred years ago, and even though they no longer existed, remnants of their former culture still littered the area. Dad was able to take advantage of that and gave us, a former Earth Kingdom village, a new lifestyle mimicking that of the Air Nomads. So it was quite a surprise to all of us when Aang arrived, knowing he was the real deal.

But a bigger surprise to us was the fact that my father was secretly working for the Fire Nation. Aang was very upset that the villagers, led by my dad, decided to renovate the entire temple. Aang claimed his culture was being destroyed, and while I didn't blame him, he held a grudge against my dad for doing so. Eventually, he calmed down and offered to open the last untouched place in the temple, the sanctuary, for me to see. I was wondering what sacred Air Nomad items would be inside, but we were all shocked to see deadly weapons all over the place. When my dad showed up, he told us the truth. He made them for the Fire Nation after we were supposedly discovered, as an extortion deal to urge the Fire Nation not to attack us.

"How can I be proud of you when your inventions are being used for murder?" I asked, just as Dad told us to hide. The Fire Nation was about to arrive, and that meant more weapons would be given to them. I knew Aang and I both had one thing in mind. There was no way we could give the Fire Nation more killing machines.

Just as a bell rang, my father pushed Aang and me aside, even though I insisted we weren't leaving. A trapdoor opened, revealing an older man with grey hair and dark red robes. Seeing the way he stalked up to my father demanding the weapons, I knew he was probably a high-ranking military official from the Fire Nation. Boy, if I wasn't stuck in a wheelchair, I would nail that guy for sure. The flood that wiped out my village took two precious things from me: my mother and the use of my legs. But I would say even without my legs, I had to take a stand here. No way should the Fire Nation come around bullying people like that.

But Aang was just a bit faster than I was, as he shot out from our corner and blew the door shut with air. Turning to the Fire Nation official, Aang stated in a stern voice, "The deal's off." Even when the official threatened to burn us down, Aang refused to budge, sending a blast of air at the older man's face. "You're leaving empty-handed."

The official stormed out, claiming the destruction of the temple would be on Aang's head. I realized I didn't feel so safe anymore, as the temple wasn't really suitable for defending an entire army battalion. Signalling to Aang, we hurried out of the room, hoping to find Katara and Sokka, Aang's two water tribe friends. We had to figure out something before the troops stormed up the mountainside and killed us all.

But Aang wasn't worried at all. "We have something they don't, and that's air power," he emphasized, pointing at the sky where some fellow villagers were returning to the temple from their gliders, "We control the sky, and that's something the Fire Nation can't do. We can win!"

It was here that my admiration for Aang just skyrocketed. When I first met him, we were both in the air. Aang apparently wasn't impressed with my fellow villagers' flying, and wanted to show us the "true spirit" of an air bender. I took on the challenge, and ended up wiping the smirk off his face real quick. Even so, I didn't feel Aang truly got along with my people, as he felt we were destroying his culture somehow. But knowing that our survival relied on us working as a team, he didn't even hesitate in taking on the challenge. It was time to put aside differences and stood together, and I had never seen someone rally us that well. And considering that he was only twelve years old, even younger than me, what did that say about his abilities?

But the most pleasant surprise was when my father approached us, offering to help as well. Asking me to gather all the able flyers in his office, he instructed us on what our plan of attack would be. Apparently, Sokka and Dad were working on a war balloon, originally to be sent to the Fire Nation. But right now, it seemed like the best solution was to use it against them, using our aerial prowess to drop different types of bombs on their troops. And to top it all off, my father asked me to lead the aerial assault with the Avatar, leading our team to victory. To fly with the best flyer in the whole world, that would be a great honour.

Our gliders lined up on the runway, ready to take flight as Aang stepped up next to me. I hadn't heard too many stories about what the Avatar did outside of the Northern Air Temple, as my villagers didn't really get much of a chance to go too far from here. Even when we were to go to nearby towns to get food or supplies, we didn't really go en masse, given one could only carry so much on a glider before it became too heavy to fly. But the few people who did return told me he defeated Fire Nation troops in various parts of the Earth Kingdom before, and each time he did so using unorthodox methods. Whatever those skills were, I was eager to find out. If we made it through this attack, there was no doubt that the world would be in good hands.

Our team took to the air, with Aang and me leading the way. Diving through the clouds, we could see the Fire Nation troops trudging up the hillside, the snow and terrain slowing them down considerably. It was the perfect place to launch our assault, as our gliders swooped in and bombarded them with fire, smoke, and slime bombs. They couldn't fire any shots at us, given how we were always in motion. After a few more round of bombs, they were on the retreat.

But just as we took out the infantry, the tanks shot through the clouds. The metallic hooks blasted in from below and attached themselves to the bedrock as each tank slowly pulled itself up the mountain. Those mechanical beasts were giving us more than we could handle, as their tough exterior meant they were almost immune to our bombs. Even as Aang took the fight to them, using his air bending to whip the tanks back, the machines merely corrected their positions and soldiered onward. With the supply of bombs now limited, it wasn't long before they reached us.

By the time Aang, Katara, and the rest of the villagers returned to the temple, we saw a huge war balloon with the Fire Nation insignia float out from the temple. I didn't think they would make it out in time, but Dad and Sokka were ready for the Fire Nation. With four huge stink bombs hanging below the balloon's cab, they showed the Fire Nation the power of stink as the packages splattered into the troops below. But with still more tanks in the distance, Sokka unhooked the boiler from the balloon and tossed it overboard, hoping the finish them off. Before I could even prepare, the entire mountainside rocked violently. With the bedrock shaking and a black cloud of smoke rolling over us, I could only hold on for dear life.

But everything turned out to be alright, as Aang flew out in his glider and saved Sokka and my father. Our people cheered nonstop as the Fire Nation troops retreated, knowing we would live to fight another day. Gathered everyone around, Aang announced to us that he had to leave soon. His destination was the Northern Water Tribe, which wasn't that far off from here, and his goal was to master water bending. It was his first element outside his native one, and I wished him nothing but the best in his quest to end the war.

Just as he was about to take off, he approached me. "I'm glad you guys live here," he gently told me, "You found this empty shell of a place and made it your home. And now you protect each other." Earlier Aang saw a hermit crab, and Katara used it as an analogy to show Aang that it was okay to accept different people living in the temple. I recalled him still quite bitter about it, but now it seemed like he figured things through.

"That means a lot, coming from you," I responded. It was with this experience that I realized the Avatar was human, and just like the rest of us, he had to go through changes as well. Aang was an amazing individual, and I had nothing but respect for him. For him to not just overcome the changes that he wasn't used to, but also to adapt and accepted differences, that was what saving the world was about. I was very happy to have met Aang and called him my friend, and I would love to see the day when he could truly save the world. And if he ever required my help on anything, all he had to do was come here and I would be there to help.

________________________________________

**Aang's POV**

Grass never felt so good as I marvelled at the oasis before me. There was a small temple of sorts almost on top of the small pond, while a tall waterfall rushed down in a surprisingly peaceful way in the back. And unlike the ice city that was outside, this place was warm, almost like it was spring already. "It's the centre of all spiritual energy in our land," Yue, the princess at the Northern Water Tribe, described. I definitely feel a lot more tranquil here than I did outside.

By outside, I meant the raging war. Apparently, Admiral Zhao decided to lay siege to the North Pole, with his armada parked outside the walls of this ice fortress and hurling fireball after fireball at us. I managed to find a water bending teacher in Master Pakku, this elderly bending instructor who was close to the royal court. Katara nearly didn't get invited to join us, as Master Poop-Head decided he wouldn't train girls, asking her to learn water healing instead. I tried to teach Katara behind everyone's backs, but Pakku caught me, throwing me out of his class in the process. Katara then challenged him to a water bending duel, in which the master won, but then softened his tone when he picked up Katara's necklace. He was supposed to be in an arranged marriage with Katara's grandmother, who didn't love him back and ran away to the South Pole. After a quick understanding, Pakku changed his ways and offered to teach Katara.

I sat down before the lake, feeling the energy around me as I prepared to meditate. Some of the great monks in the Southern Air Temple could meditate without losing concentration for four days, and while I never did anything remotely that intense, I did my fair share of meditation as well when I had to get my tattoos. Moreover, I was also able to meditate without having two people standing right behind me speaking loudly, courtesy of Katara and Yue discussing what I had to do to cross into the Spirit World. "Come on, guys," I shouted, turning around and glaring at them, "I can hear every word you're saying!"  
But soon enough, I found my source to concentrate on. In the pond were two fish, one white and the other dark, swimming together in a circle. My eyes focused on them as I slowly felt my body relax, my every muscle loosening and my eyelids closing. Taking a deep breath, I let my body meld into the energy, and sent myself to the Spirit World.

The Spirit World seemed different than I was here last time, almost like it was darker and gloomier. I glanced around and saw a swampy forest with huge trees and strange birds. In the distance, there was a meditation area of some sort, and a white-furred monkey was on there doing exactly that. Figuring I could get advice from him, I approached. "Hello? I'm sorry to disturb you, but I really need to find the Ocean and the Moon Spirits," I requested.

But the spirit didn't respond kindly to that, instead asking me to go away. Well, how rude! And to think I had to save the world from destruction. Didn't he know that if spirits in the real world were killed, the Spirit World might be affected too? At least, that's what I believed would happen. "Perhaps that thing might help," the spirit replied, cutting short another one of my attempts to engage him. Pointing at a firefly of sorts, he asked me to chase it.

I rushed through marshes and leaped through trees just to find the firefly, hoping I could catch up to it. I didn't exactly take my water bending lessons with Pakku seriously, with Katara now overtaking me in skill level, as pointed out by Pakku. I was having too much fun playing with snow and creating a snowman on my body, and now I was seriously paying the price. With only air bending around, there was no way I could take on all those ships. Now, with the entire Northern Water Tribe in trouble, the only way I could save them was to use the original water benders, the Ocean and Moon Spirits, to help. Talk about a long journey dedicated to learning!

I finally caught the firefly while balancing on a tree, only to have the tree branch give way and send me straight down. As I struggled to get up, a familiar face appeared in the place of my reflection in the water. "Roku," I greeted as he shot up from the water and materialized in front of me, "The water tribe's under attack. Please help me find the Ocean and Moon Spirits."

Roku then explained to me that these spirits left the Spirit World a long time ago, opting to sacrifice their immortality to live in the mortal world. Unfortunately, there was only one spirit old enough to remember them, and it was a dangerous one. That spirit was called Koh, the face stealer, and I must approach him with no emotion, otherwise he would steal my face. I suddenly felt a lot more sobered as Roku disappeared, leaving me on my trek again. Who knew there was a spirit that eerie before? From now on, I would never underestimate the spirits ever again.

I climbed into the mountainous regions, which seemed oddly short of life. Not a creature was around as a cave beckoned ominously to me. My heart raced, my stomach flipped, and my skin clammy and sweaty, and blood rushed in and out of my face. Earlier, on my way here, I saw one little critter, which made me feel easier, until it turned around and showed me it had its face missing. Okay, no emotion, calm thoughts, and no sudden gestures. Taking one last deep breath, I plucked up all my courage, and climbed into the cave.

The stone steps were slightly wet and slippery as I slowly moved down the cave, calling Koh's name the entire way. My voice echoed off the walls, giving me an eerie feedback of noise. I couldn't help but feel someone was watching me the whole way. Just as I got to the bottom of the steps, a large, pale face dropped down from the ceiling. "My old friend the Avatar, it's been a long time," Koh hissed. It was then I got a good look at what he was: a huge centipede-like being hanging on the stalactites while presenting a strange human face in the front. Even though I tried to show no fear, I was actually shaking uncontrollably.

Koh continued his mad rant, claiming one of my past lives tried to slay him. I had no idea what he was talking about, but I had to play along, just in case he did anything crazy. I didn't want him to use that as an excuse to steal my face. I could feel the sharp tips on Koh's head jab at my skin, the spirit clearly trying to goad an expression out of me. Taking another deep breath to calm my nerves, I proceeded to asking him my question. "I need to find the Ocean and Moon Spirits," I requested as Koh circled his body around me, "Please, help me find them."

"Someone is trying to kill them!" Koh yelled, shooting his head straight into my vision. This time, the face was that of a monkey, most likely from the faceless one that I saw outside. "They have always circled each other in an eternal dance," Koh continued, snaking his body up again, "They balance each other, push and pull, life and death..." Please, not another riddle!

Suddenly, I figured it out. Two opposites circling each other, representing totally different things but must rely on each other to survive. I already met them: they were the two koi swimming in the pond at the oasis! "The koi fish," I exclaimed.

Koh shot back at me, forcing me to wipe away my excitement once more. I was that close to blowing it, and I didn't want to be hear any further. "I must be going now," I told the sadistic monster, slowly backing out of the cave. Luckily, Koh didn't follow me, and I was more than thankful for that. Edging back outside, I now knew exactly what I had to do.

Luckily, Hei Bai was there to give me a lift, beckoning me to hop onto his back. He rumbled down the mountains and through the swamps, making me realize that for such a large, bulky character, Hei Bai was quite speedy. I was back to the pedestal I came in from in minutes. Disembarking from Hei Bai's back, the panda bear shot a strange beam from his mouth. It went right through my body, making me feel like I was disintegrating. Flowing through the same sequence I did when I got here, I was back into the real world again.

Instead of returning to the oasis, I felt myself sailing through the air, flying over tundra and into a small cave. As I awoke in my body, I found myself completely tied up. "Welcome back," the all-too familiar voice sneered. I couldn't believe it, Zuko was here again.

I blew a blast of air at Zuko, sending him deeper into the cave while propelling myself out. I could barely move with how tight he tied me up, and it wasn't long before he caught up to me again. Just before he could land another punch, my friends showed up on Appa. Katara took down Zuko in one shot, creating a huge snow tower and slamming him down. The white stuff was heavy enough to knock him unconscious while Sokka untied me. As the two hustled back onto Appa, I insisted we brought Zuko along. "If we leave him, he'll die," I maintained, hopping off of Appa and grabbing Zuko. The Avatar's job was to care for all life, including those from the Fire Nation. Even with Katara and Sokka objecting, I had to do my job right.

But as we took off on Appa (with Zuko), I saw a frightening scene. There was a shadow covering the moon, casting the land in darkness. Yue felt nauseous in the back, saying there was something happening to the Moon Spirit that was indirectly affecting her. And strangely enough, I felt it too, the pounding sensation in my head increasing by the second. Yue explained how she owed the Moon Spirit her life. She was born a sickly child, and her father was asked to place her in the Spirit Oasis where the Moon Spirit gave her some of its life force. Because of this, Yue had a permanent connection to the Moon Spirit, and anything affecting it also affected her.

But the story would have to wait. Zhao was indeed at the oasis, holding a wet bag that had something squirming inside. As we raced off Appa, ready to take on his men, Zhao raised a fist and threatened us. Seeing that the Moon Spirit was taken hostage, we had to stand down. "Destroying the moon won't just hurt the water tribe," I tried to reason with him, "It'll hurt everyone, including you. Without the moon, everything will fall out of balance."

Then, to my surprise, the old man that Zuko always traveled with, his uncle Iroh, came in from the back and agreed with me. "Whatever you do to that spirit, I'll unleash on you tenfold. Let it go, now!" he warned Zhao. Well, at least someone from the Fire Nation made some sense. Now would Zhao come to his senses and just let that fish back into its pond?

I watched intently as Zhao placed the bag back down into the pond. When the koi slipped back into the water, Zhao’s eyes softened. For a moment, the moon regained its light, only to have it come crashing down when Zhao created a fire blade and slashed through the pond. I could only watch in horror, feeling unbelievably helpless. The Moon Spirit took a huge hit, which made it unmoving and floating belly up. While Iroh attacked Zhao's men, I could only trudge into the pond, my heart sinking down to my knees as I wished the spirit was alright. "There's no hope now," Yue sobbed, clinging onto Sokka, "It's over now."

Suddenly, the Avatar State took over my body, and I found myself involuntarily moving to the middle of the pond. While Iroh picked up the dead Moon Spirit, he also waved everyone else off as I focused in on the Moon Spirit's companion, the Ocean Spirit. Before long, I felt our bodies fusing into one, forming this giant being that towered over the entire Northern Water Tribe. It was here that I truly saw the destruction brought upon by the Fire Nation, but I also felt I had all the power in the world. With the Ocean Spirit now controlling my every move, it was like I was nothing more than its humble guide. We went through the water bending motions one by one, pushing the Fire Nation troops out of the way. Before long, the Fire Nation troops were on the run, trying to get out of the city and back to their ships outside.

But even as the Fire Nation navy tried pulling out, there was no stopping the Ocean Spirit from pursuing them. Even though I had no access to the spirit's mind, I could tell that it was now attacking out of pure rage, seeking vengeance in the name of its companion. Throughout my time with the monks, I was always told to ease my emotions no matter what happened. Anger and rage would only cause more destruction to both myself and others. Yet right now, not only was I associated with rage, I had no way of stopping it. How would the monks feel if they saw me blast apart ship after ship, each one with hundreds of people inside?

Then, in the most frightening move by far, a huge tsunami was created, sending the ships sailing back and crumbling whatever boats that couldn't get out of the way. The only type of bending of this scale of power I had seen so far was fire, when Roku and I fused together in his temple. But never in my life had I imagined water being so strong as well. Pakku once told me that water was the element of change, and that by letting their emotions flow with the water, a water bender could better manipulate their strength. There was no doubt that the Ocean Spirit was emotional alright, and to see this emotion meld together with bending, this was power that was beyond reach. While part of me was excited that I finally had a solution to my problem of getting the Fire Nation away from the North Pole, part of me was also disgusted by the carnage being caused. When would this madness ever end?

Then, as suddenly as it began, it stopped. The moon was somehow relit, causing the Ocean Spirit to stop its rampage and returned to the Spirit Oasis. I was placed on a nearby ledge, groggy and wobbly, while the strange-coloured blob floated away. By the time the armada and Fire Nation troops picked up the pieces and left, it was already sunrise. During that period of time, I got a chance to truly think about all the events that happened. There was no doubt in my mind that being the Avatar was difficult, probably more so for me than any other Avatar in the past, given how much happened in the past hundred years. I had to let go of my past failures, my attachments to the Air Nomads, and had to address the fact that I must face my true responsibilities. I could tell that after today, the world would start accepting me as the Avatar, and would be counting on me to change their hearts.

At the same time, I also realized how much work we had to do after the war was finished, assuming I would have to face the Fire Lord in the future. The destruction caused here at the North Pole was phenomenal, and the Fire Nation navy also took quite a beating as well. People were tired of the war, and it was time things were renewed. I had faith that the resilient water benders, with their ability to adapt and change, could find ways to thrive in this new world. But there was still another huge area called the Earth Kingdom to consider, and I knew even though we freed several small towns near the Fire Nation border, there were still many other areas being harassed by the Fire Nation. Plus, I now had to start learning earth bending, and it was only right I went to the Earth Kingdom to find me a teacher. This time, it was no longer just fun and games, as the world went through too much destruction for me to only focus on what animal to ride next. The journey of seeking fun was over, and now the journey to truly save the world had begun.

Before long, Katara and Sokka came up to me, pulling me into a group hug. Katara told me that Pakku planned to go to the South Pole to help that village rebuild, and that we had to go to the Earth Kingdom on our own. Whatever the case, I was happy this group was with me all the way. I could tell no matter what the obstacles were, we would face them as a team and win.

________________________________________

**Aang's POV**

Earth benders surrounded me, some of them riding Ostrich Horses while others were on the ground, but it was evident that they were on the war path. "What are you doing?" I asked in total panic. My group just left the North Pole and returned to the Earth Kingdom when we came to this military base. The troops here apparently heard about our victory over the Fire Nation at the North Pole, and greeted us with the friendliest attitudes ever.

But no such friendliness here, as the general in charge of this place, General Fong, now ordered all his men to attack me. When I first discussed the victory at the North Pole with him, I had to emphasize that the only reason I won was because I was in the Avatar State. Fong became fascinated with it and used every method possible to trigger it again, claiming it could help end the war now. He even took me to the infirmary, where dozens of injured soldiers laid there, most of which suffering indescribably painful and traumatizing injuries. It was just another sobering reminder that my absence in this world caused that much pain to the people around me.

But even though I wanted to be practical and realistic, Katara was vehemently against this exercise, claiming I had to learn the elements the "right" way. It eerily reminded me of the time I tried to learn fire bending ahead of the other elements, and burned Katara's hands. While I was still intent on avoiding that element, I felt this case was different than that one. It could be seen that the Avatar State could be used effectively, and I didn't harm my friends in the process with it. All the people I attacked with the Avatar State were Fire Nation people, so it should be fine, right? Determined not to fail the world again, I chose to proceed, despite Katara's boycott.

"I'm not your enemy! I won't fight you!" I shouted as earthen disks were sent my way. I barely dodged them in time, seriously regretting that I approached the general at all. Originally, I wanted to go through with Fong's exercise, but I kept having nightmares about how destructive I was, this time to my friends. The nightmares had gone on for a while now, but it was at its worst last night. I suddenly realized that, even though I disagreed with Katara earlier, that what she said was right yet again. Each time the Avatar State was triggered, I was in genuine danger, and trying to do it on purpose would only do more harm than good. With that in mind, I went to the general to call off the exercise, but it was apparent that Fong wanted to do this regardless.

Before long, I was taking hits from every soldier around the open area, flipping and spinning like there was no tomorrow. Earthen disks, boulders, and lumps of rock were hurled at me almost simultaneously. Fong wasn't just stubborn, he was downright mad. Did he really take my words literally when I told him only genuine danger could trigger the Avatar State, causing him to go on the attack? Getting on my Air Scooter, I zipped around the enclosure, hoping to just outrun that lunatic and his men. "You can't fight forever!" I yelled, just as Fong encased me in an earthen disk and crushed it around me. Luckily, I was small enough to fit, or else I would be nursing bruises around my ribs right about now.

I raced back up the tower, hoping I could get back inside. At least the general wouldn't be crazy enough to earth bend indoors, where there were injured soldiers. But the second I got to the top, I realized what a big mistake I made. Somehow, Katara made her way down here, and Fong now had her trapped. Twisting the ground beneath her feet, Fong sank Katara up to her knees. "Don't hurt her," I called, leaping from the balcony and blasting Fong with air.

But Fong blocked my shot with a rock slab, further squeezing the ground, leaving Katara only visible from waist up. Even Sokka's appearance was fruitless, as Fong merely sent him flying into a disk. With Sokka trapped, Fong continued to threaten Katara. "Stop this! You have to let her go!" I demanded, rushing up to Fong.

Oops, bad move, as Katara was now up to her shoulders in earth. "I don't see glowing," Fong stated, half-sneering and half-ordering. I was trying so hard to please everyone, but how come I could never win? I was merely telling Fong the truth when it wasn't a good idea to do the Avatar State this way, but now he had to go around hurting my friends? I wanted to beat the Fire Nation too, but not at the expense of having the one I loved the most sinking in quicksand.

"You don't have to do this!" I screamed, dropping to my knees while tears burst out from my eyes. He was hurting Katara and everyone else around, and seeing my friends in this much pain and distress was just too much for me.

"Apparently, I do," the general muttered, squeezing his hand one more time. And before I could even grab Katara, she disappeared from view. Now Fong had gone too far, as he crossed the line with me regarding the Avatar State. I had no problems with him confronting me, and I had no problems with him doing weird exercises with me just to trigger the Avatar State. But to hurt Katara, that was way too much. I wasn't just angry with him, but his entire battalion for doing something this immoral. I was mad at the entire group of soldiers stationed here for even thinking about condoning this, and refusing to speak up against this delusional general. Lastly, I was angry at myself for even accepting his offer in the first place, giving Fong a chance to hurt Katara. Angry, frustrated, and helpless with Katara buried, my body started glowing.

I turned to glare at Fong, who was cackling like a maniac, ecstatic that his plan worked. He wanted to see the power of the Avatar State, right? So let me demonstrate it to him. Mustering the biggest air slice I could, I sent Fong flying and slamming back-first against the wall. I then created a huge sand tornado, blasting everyone around me. Even when Fong got back up to release Katara, I didn't care. I was so mad I just wanted to level everything. Troops, Ostrich Horses, supply houses, you name it, I just wanted to destroy. I was about to teach these morons a lesson they would never forget.

Before I could do more, I felt myself being pulled out of my body. Seeing the carnage from the skies, I heard Roku's voice filled my ears. "It's time you learned," he stated, pulling me onto his dragon, "The Avatar State is a defence mechanism, designed to empower you with all the skills and knowledge of the past Avatars. In the Avatar State, you are at your most powerful, but you are also at your most vulnerable," he explained, sounding like a teacher unimpressed with his student. Wow, seriously, did I really fare that poorly with him?

Then Roku's warning to me really smacked me across the head. "If you are killed in the Avatar State, the reincarnation cycle would be broken," he described. Suddenly, we were off the dragon and lined up chronologically, based on the first Avatar all the way to the more recent ones, like Kyoshi, Roku, and me. Then, to my horror, each Avatar, who had their eyes glowing earlier, all started disappearing before me. By the time it got to Roku, he declared ominously, "The Avatar would cease to exist." As he disappeared from view as well, a chill shot up my spine.

Soon, I was back in my body, surveying all the damage I had done. I was truly shocked at how powerful the Avatar State was. I did everything except blasting down the base's walls. Katara soon came up to me, seeing how ashamed and pathetic I was. "I'm sorry, Katara," I whispered, "I hope you never have to see me like that ever again."

But that lunatic Fong was still around, mouthing off about how this experiment had the perfect result. He even went further by saying he wanted to train me on harnessing its potential and controlling its energy. I guessed Sokka did everyone a favour by creeping up behind that nutcase and knocking him unconscious, or else I would have done it myself. Seriously, I had done enough damage for one day, so don't make me use more force.

With that in mind, we decided to head off, going straight to Omashu. Earlier, we thought about asking Bumi to teach me earth bending, given how skilled he was when we first saw him. But for now, the Avatar State was another topic that I would put on the backburner, just like fire bending. Even though I was all for ending the war, I wasn't keen on placing my friends in the line of fire like that. Enough damage was done by my actions, and I had to be even more careful from now on. Play time was over, and the real work was about to begin.

________________________________________

**Aang's POV**

"It must be the two lovers from the legend," I exclaimed, "That's who's buried here." We were on our way to Omashu when we ran into a group of travelers offering to take us through an underground shortcut. Given that the Fire Nation would attack us if we were aboveground we chose to heed their advice. All did go well with the passage, until a torch was dropped on Appa's foot and caused him to rampage into a pillar. That ended up created a rockslide and separated Sokka and the travellers from Katara, Appa, and me. It didn't help that Appa hated caves to begin with, meaning he was very reluctant to enter in the first place. Now, with no map and only one torch, there wasn't too much we could do other than find our own way out of here.

Katara craned her neck at the bottom rock layer supporting the two coffins, pressing the torch up to the sculpting. "The lovers met on top of the mountain dividing their two villages," she began, going through each drawing in detail, "The villages were enemies, so they could not be together. But their love was strong, and they found a way. The two lovers learned earth bending from the Badger Moles, and became the first earth benders. They built an elaborate tunnel so they could meet secretly. Anyone who tried to follow them would be lost forever."

But Katara's words reflected so well on our present situation. Like the two lovers, we were all alone in this elaborate labyrinth. I had always admired Katara and liked her since she freed me from the iceberg, but recently I found myself liking her more than usual. Throughout our journey, I saw how she always put others ahead of herself, and always tried to inspire others. Even when things were looking down, she always told people to keep hope, and persevered to fight another day. So many people would be enslaved by the Fire Nation had it not been for her.

But it meant a lot more to me than anyone else, because of how she pulled me from my fun-loving self to become the Avatar. Every time I neglected my duties, she would be there to straighten me out. Every time I let my emotions get the best of me, Katara was the one to tame them again. And even in situations where I did something I regretted, like the Avatar State case at Fong's military base, she was the first to reassure me that everything would turn out for the better. Even though my experience with earth bending was nonexistent, I could tell that Katara was steady as a rock. And it was with this admiration that I found out my liking of her was starting to become something more. I wondered if she ever noticed that.

Katara's words suddenly snapped me back to attention, as the love story took an unnerving twist. One day, the man didn't come, because he was killed in the war. The woman was so devastated that she unleashed her earth bending on the combatants. But instead of levelling both villages, she created a new one and offered both sides to live in peace. "The woman's name was Oma, and the man's name was Shu," Katara stated, "The new city was named Omashu as a monument for their love." Well, who knew that city had such a colourful background history? I wondered if Bumi ever knew anything about that.

After the inscriptions ended, we glanced upwards, seeing a huge statue of the two lovers kissing. Between them was a plaque with the slogan, "Love is brightest in the dark." I couldn't help but think about the story, the statue, and the slogan. Maybe there was a hint in there to show us how to get out of here. What if we started poking around the statue?

Katara beat me to the punch, as she was already moving around the statue, looking for more clues. Unfortunately, her reaction said it all when she returned to the front, her downcast eyes and her slouched pose well-illuminated in the light. "I have a crazy idea," she suggested, her eyes shifting in uneasiness. She explained how the curse was that travellers would be trapped in the cave unless they trusted in love, and the slogan on the statue was "Love is brightest in the dark" all the while showing the lovers kissing. "What if we kissed?" she offered.

My entire body shot up, almost like I had been jolted by lightning. "Us kissing?" I stuttered. I had never imagined being able to get close to Katara, let alone kissing her. It might be a crazy way to get out of here, but perhaps it was a good chance for me to tell her how I felt about her? Whatever the case, the situation that I had been thinking about more and more in the last little while was about to come true. "Us, kissing," I murmured dreamily.

Katara giggled, although more out of self-ridicule rather than accepting the idea. Well, I didn't want to push the issue either, if she wasn't ready for it. If she was going to poke fun at herself for suggesting the idea, why not play along? "I definitely wouldn't want to kiss you," I replied, spreading on that goofy grin Katara said I always had.

Oops! Big mistake, as that came out totally the wrong way. I wasn't meaning that, it was just a reflex to Katara's words, honest! But Katara, unfortunately, did take it the wrong way. "I didn't realize it was such a horrible option," she responded, marching away in an unimpressed fashion. Maybe I should clarify that by telling her it was a life-or-death situation?

Yikes! Instead of making it better, it only made things worse. Now Katara was on the warpath and didn't even want to discuss the issue. "I'm not sure which I would rather do, kissing you or dying!" she roared, slamming the torch in my hands. Seriously, what's wrong with me?

The next half an hour or so was complete awkward silence, with Katara stalking ahead of my while I trudged behind along with Appa. It really got me thinking about what I said to her earlier, about kissing and survival and whatever else. It was an unusual situation to say the least, with Katara suddenly breaking out that suggestion. Maybe I was caught off-guard, and didn't realize the implications of what kissing meant to her. Maybe it was the case that one, if not both, of us, wasn't ready for something like that. Or maybe it was me letting my emotions get in the way again, saying things I never meant and pushing Katara away from me instead of drawing her near. Whatever the case, I could tell things would never be the same again after this experience.

"We're going to run out of light any second now, aren't we?" I asked, looking at how little of the torch was left to burn, "What are we going to do?" It was a shocking reminder that we were still in a cave, and without any lighting, we would be trapped forever. I glanced longingly at Katara, hoping she had some idea to get us through this.

Without another word, Katara turned back to me. Grabbing my hand, she pulled me close to her. With the remaining dim light, I could see the look on her face. It wasn't angry or hurt, as in her reaction to my earlier comment. Instead, she was fully accepting that we were down to our last chance. It might be a crazy plan, and we might only be doing this for survival, but it was one moment I would never forget. Just before the light finally flickered out, our lips met each other. It might be completely dark in the cave, but that kiss lit me up a thousand times over.

Then, just as our lips parted ways, a line of crystals illuminated themselves. I wasn't sure what they were, but they certainly resembled the rock candy crystals Bumi had in Omashu. Maybe it was the way out to the city? Whatever the case, Katara was intent on checking it out. "That's how the two lovers found each other," she deduced, "They just put out the lights and followed the crystals." She turned to where the crystals led, and raced in that direction.

I didn't even get a chance to ask Katara about the situation. Other than a simple odd-sounding stutter, there was nothing I could say. Hopefully, this was the beginning of something new between us, and that it was enough to at least let Katara know I truly cared about her, more so than anybody else in the entire world. As the tunnel's end got brighter and brighter, we knew it was the exit. Just like how Katara always told us to have hope, we persevered once again.

As Appa bathed in the sun, a loud rumbling could be heard from behind us. We whipped our heads around just to see Sokka burst through on a Badger Mole, with our traveler friends on another not far behind. While Katara and I let love lead the way, Sokka and company let large, ferocious beasts lead the way. Whatever the case, I was glad that everyone would be alright. Unfortunately, our friends weren't going to join us to Omashu, so we had to take off without them. But for me, the fact that Katara and I had our little moment in the cave was something I would never forget. Hopefully, we could get Bumi to teach me earth bending so I could still defeat the Fire Lord in time. I would love to spend my time with Katara for the rest of my life, living in the new peaceful world after we ended the war.

________________________________________

**Bumi's POV**

"Hi, everybody," I called from my metal coffin as they lowered me from this hideous looking statue. Apparently, the Fire Nation thought it was real funny to take over my city, and to make sure I couldn't resist, they shoved me in this metal box, all the while spoon-feeding me my meals just so I couldn't bend. Seriously, I was older than most of these soldiers combined. Did I really have to be treated like a baby? How ridiculous could these troops get?

The three Fire Nation girls faced off against three youngsters, who I recognized as Aang and his two water tribe friends. I hadn't seen him since his first visit to Omashu, now named the equally ridiculous New Ozai. I told him to think like a mad genius when he went through his Avatar training, so to see him at this state, I was really eager to hear out how well he applied that concept. Now, if only I could get out of this cramped cage.

Oops! The Fire Nation princess was speaking now, and apparently they wanted to trade me for a baby. Well, it looked like the Fire Nation did see me as a baby, assuming they traded based on equality. But hey, if the Fire Nation princess was going to put me at a higher value for whatever reason, I was willing to go along with it. At least I knew in their eyes I was a valuable person. "We're trading a two-year-old for a king," the princess described, adding how she knew of my earth bending abilities. Maybe I was being appreciated after all, as the princess even stated that the deal was unfair. Watching her raise her arm, I felt myself being pulled into the air again.

"See you all later!" I called once more, being hauled back above and around the statue again. The deal was off, and I was glad they realized how important I was to this place. Well, I was sure Aang wasn't about to let this off the hook, so what crazy move would he pull now?

Well, Aang really improvised this time. In one swift move, he blasted into the air, avoiding the Fire Nation princess's fire blast while flipping open his glider. "Where did you come from?" I asked as he landed on top of my coffin. I couldn't really see what Aang was doing, but a loud breezy sound indicated he was blowing onto the chains. Was he trying to break the chains with his breath? If that were the case, I would really want to see how he did it!

Wow! I didn't know how he did it, but whatever it was, it worked. There was a chill going down the chain and into the coffin, meaning Aang was creating ice. But that wasn't the main point right now, as I had to tell Aang about my plan. "Stop blowing for a minute," I interrupted, trying to get his attention. In reality, I actually never really put up a fight against the Fire Nation, opting to beat them with another strategy. While I was glad Aang did try to apply my theory, it wasn't the best time to do it. "Hold on just a...argh!"

We were in freefall as the chain somehow snapped free. I craned my neck just in time to see the Fire Nation princess jumping into the air after us. But with us hurtling from the sky, there wasn't much we could do. I had to be around earth in order to bend us to safety, and there wasn't any around me. This couldn't get any worse, could it?

But Aang pulled through again, this time using his air bending to soften to landing and directed us onto one of the chutes. It was like what we did a century ago all over again as we sailed downed the slides, dodging shots from the Fire Nation princess, who got onto a box and followed us closely. While I enjoyed the moment of nostalgia, there were more important issues at hand. "Let me talk to you!" I yelled over the wind and sand whipping past me. Even though I was in a coffin, my face was still sticking out slightly, but low enough to get the dust and debris over me. While I usually didn't mind the grime, this was no time to get messy.

But Aang either didn't hear me or didn't have time to react, as the fire bending princess kept up her pursuit, shooting deadly blast after deadly blast at us. There was no denying what she was doing: she was shooting to kill. Even so, I had a strategy all along, and I couldn't just let this event knock me off the path. Besides, even though Aang did a good job with the mad genius thing so far, it was time he learned something even more sophisticated than that.

Oh dear! I didn't realize the fire bender was getting that close to me already. Now she had a spinning disk of blue flame slicing up the path and shooting straight at us. Desperate times called for desperate measure, right? Squeezing my face hard, I rolled my neck a couple of times, creating just enough earth to intercept the flame disk. As it dissipated into nothing but smoke and debris, Aang could only stare at me incredulously. What? They didn't cover my face, so using my face to earth bend was fair game, at least in terms of trying to escape alive.

Well, looked like Aang wasn't too pleased about it, as he proceeded to chewing me out the second we halted. He jumped off the coffin while I straightened it out, just in time to see his steaming face. "Why didn't you free yourself? Why did you surrender when Omashu was invaded? What's the matter with you, Bumi?" he spat, sending saliva all over my face.

Taking a deep breath, I tried to explain my idea to him. "There are options in fighting called jing, which is a choice in how you direct your energy," I lectured, "This is neutral jing, when you do nothing. This is the key to earth bending, which involves listening and waiting for the right moment to strike. This is why I can't leave now." I knew Aang was most likely to ask me to teach him earth bending, but with an entire city on the line, I couldn't possibly leave the place to the Fire Nation. Unfortunately, my friend would have to turn to someone else.

"Your teacher will be someone who has mastered neutral jing," I continued just as Aang turned away in disappointment, "You have to find someone who waits and listens before striking. Goodbye, Aang. I'll see you when the time is right." Even though I too was sad to see my friend go, I had faith in him in carrying his mission through. He had been through so much just to get to this stage, and I had seen him incorporate the mad genius techniques like never before. Aang went through much growth in the last little while, and I was sure he would turn out to be a perfectly competent and capable Avatar, ready to take on any challenge in this world.

But for now, I had to take my old spot, back on the crane behind the ugly looking statue. Sending a huge rock at the bottom of my coffin, I pushed myself back up the chute. I would love to do something to that statue just to make it look better. Why were people in the Fire Nation so darn serious all the time? When were they going to learn to smile?

________________________________________

**Katara's POV**

"You know this block is having is only temporary, right?" I suggested to Aang as we circled the blob of water around us. We finally found someone to teach Aang earth bending, and she was an earth bender from a rich family named Toph. We met her at an earth bending tournament and were amazed at how she won all those matches despite being blind and barely half the size of all the other wrestlers. And even when Aang was captured by those earth benders later on, claiming they wanted to hand Aang to the Fire Nation as a bounty, Toph was the one to save Aang. We thought for sure she would be the one, right?

Apparently, it was tougher than originally anticipated, as Toph's parents were extremely restrictive, and basically grounded Toph for the rest of her life after that incident. Toph only joined us after she ran away from home, and even then our first few days were anything but enjoyable. While I tried to keep the group together, the two idiotic boys thought it was real fun trying to trash my every effort with Toph. It eventually led to Toph separating from us, only to rejoin us after the Fire Nation sent a metallic machine after us. We were pretty much pursued day and night, and it's only now that we managed to get some rest. With things somewhat settled down for the moment, we thought it was the right time to set Aang on earth bending.

"I don't want to talk about it," Aang muttered, continuing to focus on the water sphere. Toph trained Aang hard and fast, shooting through the basics while I observed nearby. While Toph was impressed at how fast Aang managed to master the basics, it was the more advanced stuff that got to him. Toph tried to have Aang stop a boulder while blindfolded, and Aang, in his air bending nature to avoid, leaped over the rock, not even touching it at all. It led to Toph blowing up at Aang, calling him every name under the sky and making Aang feel quite shocked. To calm him down, I suggested trying some water bending drills with him.

Bu things weren't getting any better with Aang, as he would withdraw into his shell every time I discussed earth bending with him. While I didn't deny that learning a new element would be difficult, I also believed he had to deal with it no matter what. "You do realize that's the problem, don't you? If you face this issue rather than avoiding it..." I began, gently probing him.

"I know! I get it, alright?" Aang snapped at me, stopping his motion and causing the water to splash harmlessly into the marsh at his feet. Apparently, he thought I was talking about the earth bending experience, and claimed he knew he had to face the rock head-on. But when it came time to do it, he failed to do so, and even right now he had no explanation why. While I was trying to remain civil with him, hoping to understand his needs, I somehow felt Aang wasn't really getting the message here. It's not just earth bending where he had to take a stance against another object, but with his entire outlook on the Avatar duties.

Using a different analogy, I tried to push Aang along the right path. "If fire and water are opposites, then what's the opposite of air?" I asked, "You're working with your natural opposite. You'll figure it out, I know you will." I always tried to give Aang positive encouragement as a way of inspiring him. I knew he had to come a long way just to get to where he was today, as shown by his efforts in the North Pole, the Northern Air Temple, and even in Crescent Island with Avatar Roku. Time and again, Aang showed great ingenuity and adaptability in dealing with the situation, almost like a water bender trying to adapt to the elements on the fly. If I said so myself, I felt Aang had the water bending mindset and was well on his way to mastering it.

But if Aang was to get to the next level, he had to get away from his comfort zone. I recalled we originally went to Omashu to ask Bumi to teach Aang, but Bumi refused by saying that he had to deal with the city under siege, and insisted Aang tried looking for someone who could attack after listening and observing. Aang believed he found the right person in Toph, but now realized she employed a teaching method that was way contrary to his expectations, to the point where he couldn't even face her again after she berated him. If he couldn't even take this challenge, how could he deal with the next ones, like learning fire bending and finally facing the Fire Lord? Even though Sokka and I forgave Aang for burning me back when he was training with Jeong Jeong, did Aang really believe he never had to learn fire bending again?

Since Aang was working with his natural opposite right now, I decided it would be the best time to make him deal with this problem. The sooner he could get over this hump, the better it would be for him in the future when he had to face further challenges. As I ended this session with him, I tried for a sneak attack, hurling a sharp reed blade at him. And to my expectation, Aang was ready for it, sending a blast of water up and slicing the reed vertically in half. There was no doubt about it, Aang had the reflexes of a master water bender.

We took a quick bow before I let Aang on his way again. He still had a lot of stuff to figure out before things would get better for him. But for now, I had faith in him seeing this through to the end, and I was intent on offering him as much support as possible. He was the Avatar, and he was my friend, and nothing in the world could ever change that fact.


	31. Aang, Part 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Each character grows up with a set of experiences unique to themselves. Watch each person describe what went through their minds and how they changed as they reacted to the world. These are their stories, these are their rites of passage.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: Michael DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko own Avatar.

**Aang's POV**

"The needle on this compass doesn't seem to be pointing north, according to my charts," Katara's voice cut in through the breezes I was shooting out. We had this idea of going into the Si Wong Desert in the Earth Kingdom to search for a sunken library, where we found out that a solar eclipse was about to happen this summer. Since fire benders would lose their abilities to control their element without the sun, we felt it was the perfect time to attack them. With this new information at hand, we were intent on going to the Earth Kingdom capital, Ba Sing Se, to inform the Earth King, and hopefully got his support for the effort.

Unfortunately, we ran into a slight problem, as Appa's dislike of dark, cramped spaces meant he had to stay outside the library. Toph stayed outside with him, but ended up taking her attention off Appa when the spirit in charge of the library, Wan Shi Tong, decided we were misusing his knowledge and sank that place into the sand. While Toph tried to prevent the library from sinking, sand benders came and took Appa away. Words could not describe how devastated I felt when I found out what happened, and I ended up saying some things to Toph that I really shouldn't have said. I knew Toph didn't like Appa in the beginning, but was I going a bit overboard when I accused her of purposely letting Appa be stolen?

Even though we were lost in the middle of the desert, with no food or water and only an abandoned sand sailer as our way of getting out, I didn't feel myself calming down. Even when Toph and Katara were excited about seeing a huge rock, thinking maybe they could find some water there, I could only respond in a murmur, "Maybe we can find some sand benders." I knew it was against my beliefs, but I had the sudden urge to put a hurting on those guys. Nobody ought to take away the ones I loved the most, especially Appa.

By the time we reached that rock, it was already daybreak, meaning the scorching temperatures were about to return. Katara was the one who suggested we traveled at night to avoid the heat, and I was impressed at how calm she was during the entire situation. While Toph was disabled with the shifty sand, and Sokka was intoxicated by drinking cactus juice, Katara was the only one with her sanity intact. But again, in my anger, I ended up snapping at her as well, blowing her off when she requested that I flew up to a cloud to absorb some water for her. Hello, it was a desert cloud? Did she expect to have a lot of water in that thing?

But either way, this experience was by far the hardest thing I ever had to go through, even harder than leaving the monks at the Southern Air Temple. Whereas that was something I chose to do with my own free will, this one I had no control over. The sand benders ambushed Toph at the most unfortunate time, and led to Appa being taken away. At any point in time, someone could have done something to prevent it from happening. Toph could have come in to fetch us, Toph could have released the library and fought the sand benders herself, we could have come out faster rather than wasting our time fending off Wan Shi Tong. Whatever the case, it was totally preventable, and if I ever found the sand benders, they would pay for stealing Appa.

Katara found a cave for us to go into, hoping to find some water in here. The dark and damp feel to the cavern did indicate some moisture, but I doubted there was enough for all of us. Sokka had to lick some weird substance sticking onto the walls, and Toph claimed there was something unusual about this cave. "Something's coming for us," she stated, sounding uncertain. Squinting deeper into the cave, I could only wonder what was in store for us.

We waited no further to make an escape, as a line of Buzzard Wasps zipped out after us. Apparently, this was a Buzzard Wasp nest, and we weren't exactly welcome visitors. We were entirely helpless as Sokka was still too woozy to fight, and Toph had trouble attacking things that were in the air. With Katara out of water, the only thing we could do was make a run for it. My heart pounded as I gathered everyone, hoping to make it out of here in one piece.

But before I could even react, a Buzzard Wasp dove in and snatched Momo. The wasp flew off into the distance with Momo squirming under it, making my anger surge through me once more. I already lost Appa, and I wasn't intending to lose another being. I didn't care what that wasp was thinking when it snatched our lemur, but I was intent on getting Momo back. Telling Katara to go on without me, I flipped open my glider and took to the air.

I focused solely on the Buzzard Wasp holding Momo, having tunnel vision like never before. Pushing my glider to limits never seen before, I sought to get the lemur back. Why was everything around me trying to take away those that I cared about? First Appa, then Momo? Enough was enough, as I flew underneath the wasp, flipping my glider so that I faced the bottom of the creature. With a high kick, I whipped a blast of air at it, slamming straight at the Buzzard Wasp, who could do nothing more than flutter away while releasing Momo from its grasp.

But somehow, I wasn't satisfied with just letting the wasp go. Even though my mind urged my body not to do it, I landed on the sand and pulled my staff back. I really wanted to teach that Buzzard Wasp a lesson for taking Momo, and before I could even control myself, I sent a blast of air straight at the wasp. The air slice sailed into the sky and slammed into the wasp, sending it spiralling into the ground and landing in the sand. I wasn't sure how injured it was, nor did I care. Right now, I was on the warpath, and I didn't know how much it would take to stop it. Seriously, if that wasp became too hurt, I doubted the monks would forgive me.

When I returned to my friends, it was a whole new story. A group of sand benders arrived at the nest. It took every ounce of energy, plus some of Katara's special skills, to prevent me from going ballistic on these filthy beings. I was willing to bet one of them took Appa, and did all sorts of unspeakably horrible things to him. If anyone of them dared to harm a hair on Appa's head, I would make sure they got a beat-down that they would never forget!

Luckily for them, Katara tried to keep everyone calm, explaining to the sand benders that we found the sand sailer abandoned in the desert, and were using it to get out after Appa was stolen. I didn't care for their small talk, instead looking around the equipment the sand benders brought just to see if there were any traces of Appa. One of the younger sand benders wasn't too happy that we were telling them about Appa being stolen. Hey, if you were so upset about it, why didn't you go to your buddies and find him for me then?

But Toph unleashed a bombshell, claiming the younger man who spoke was the one who took Appa. Hearing that, I didn't want to hear another word coming out of anyone's mouths. Clutching my staff, I stalked up to the sand benders. "You stole Appa. Where is he? What did you do to him?" I demanded, glaring at the cowering sand benders.

The sand bender Toph identified refused to answer directly, claiming that we were the thieves who stole their sailer. So he didn't want to do it the easy way, then how about doing it the hard way. Turning to one of their sailers, I blasted it to bits with an air slice. The longer they would stall, the more sailers I would destroy. The worst case scenario was that they would be stuck in the desert with us, and that would force them to give Appa back to me in order to get everyone out safely. How much longer could you stall now?

Then, the last straw came when Toph made one more accusation, claiming she heard the young man saying he wanted to put a muzzle on Appa when he captured my bison. If taking Appa from me wasn't bad enough, now he had to tie him up like a prisoner? Did these sand benders have no decency? "You muzzled Appa?" I screamed, feeling my emotions take over my body. There was no doubt about it, the Avatar State was about to come out.

The young man was really stammering now, claiming he sold Appa to a merchant, and that he was probably in Ba Sing Se now. The sand benders even offered to escort us out of the desert, but did that matter? The fact that Appa was in the hands of some stranger who probably had no idea how to handle him, and was putting him through immense pain, was too much for me to handle. Dropping the staff, I felt myself hovering into the air, my mind no longer in control of my body anymore. I felt the winds whipped around me, sandblasting everyone nearby. If they didn't treat Appa well, then they would pay the ultimate price.

I couldn't see where anyone was at this time, the sand swirling too violently for me to locate them. But before I could do more, I felt a hand latch onto my wrist. I turned around to see Katara standing below me, her face emotionless and stoic as she pulled me back to the ground. Without saying a word, she pulled me into a tight embrace, almost like she was coaxing me out of the Avatar State. Even though I was still an emotional wreck, I could feel the tension easing, at least to the point where I was no longer on the path of destruction.

By the time the Avatar State subsided, I let my tears flow freely from my face, sobbing loudly into Katara's arms as she held me close. My legs were so weak that I could barely stand, and almost had to be dragged by Katara aboard the sand benders' sailer. It must have been really pathetic to see the Avatar in this state, but when you just lost the one you bonded with for your entire life, you couldn't help but feel powerless. Now, the only thing I could hope for was that we could get to Ba Sing Se, where we could hopefully find Appa, and informed the Earth King of the solar eclipse. If there was a low point in my Avatar career, I would say this was it.

________________________________________

**Aang's POV**

"You know, it's okay to miss Appa," Katara's soft voice echoed in the night. It had been a few days since the incident at the desert, and I wasn't feeling any better about the situation. I realized that my Avatar State reappearing really shocked my friends, to the point where they were avoiding talking about Appa like a disease. I had to admit that thinking too much about Appa was bad for the entire team, as we had more important things to deal with, such as getting to Ba Sing Se. Because of that, I just pushed Appa's issue aside, burying it deep within my mind and wouldn't deal with it at any cost.

"What's going on with you?" Katara asked again, "In the desert, all you cared about was finding Appa, and now it's like you don't care about him at all." That comment did touch a nerve with me, as Katara seemed to be hinting that my priorities somehow changed. To an extent, it was true. On our way to Ba Sing Se, we met this family of refugees who planned on taking a ferry there. At the terminal, we also ran into Suki, who offered to join us in guiding the refugees through the Serpent's Pass when they lost their passports and tickets. Staying overly hopeful about finding Appa would be fruitless now, as the refugees' safety was our first priority. Besides, the Serpent's Pass entrance had a sign that told us to "abandon hope." Staying hopeful didn't bring Appa back, and it sure wouldn't get us to Ba Sing Se.

But regardless of the situation, I had to address Katara's point. She had been supportive of me from the first day, and I at least owed her an explanation. "You saw what I did out there. I was so angry about losing Appa I couldn't control myself. I hated feeling like that," I responded to Katara. Usually, her presence was very comforting, but for some reason, her words weren't getting through to me today. It was making this conversation more awkward by the second.

"I know sometimes it hurts more to hope, and it hurts more to care," Katara continued, "But you have to promise me that you won't stop caring." On any other day, I would be the first to agree with Katara. She had been the most caring person I had ever met, and she was the one to establish that one of my roles as the Avatar was to always be caring. Heck, even the monks told me that I had to care for all life, so why wouldn't I take her side on this?

But today, I just couldn't find it in me to care. It wasn't the case that it hurt more to care, but that caring and hoping brought me all the pain in the world. I cared for Appa, and I hoped every day that Appa was back by my side again, but I knew it wouldn't happen. Even when Katara offered me a hug, I couldn't find it in me to accept. Giving her a curt bow, I wandered back to camp and away from the cliff. The moon shone brightly enough that I could still make my way out, but it felt like I was being put as centre of attention right now. Why was it that I couldn't even deal with my problems in my own way?

I didn't speak to Katara or anyone else about this issue for the rest of the night. By morning, we were ready to move on, taking everyone, including the family of refugees, across the Serpent's Pass once more. There was a small section that led underwater, and that was when Katara and I had to work together. Normally, I would jump at the opportunity to water bend with her, but this time I did so almost begrudgingly. I had no idea why it was eating away at me like this, even when I didn't want to talk about Appa anymore. It felt like the more I avoided the issue, the more it was tearing at me from inside. The monks always said to push aside our attachments, and tried not to tackle something head-on if there was an alternate path. So if I was feeling like this, then were the monks wrong, or was I doing it the wrong way?

But any further progress on the underwater section of the pass would have to wait, as the namesake of this pass just showed up. Watching a gigantic, green-scaled, hissing water beast snarling at us wasn't exactly what we had in mind, and I had to do something to deal with this. After I lost Appa, I promised myself I wouldn't lose anyone else again. Toph blasted us out of the water by elevating the rocks we were standing on, but the family of refugees, including the pregnant woman, had to go first. Grabbing my staff, I flipped it into a glider once more. "I'll distract it. Katara, get everyone across," I instructed my group.

I lifted off into the air, flying around in random formations and hoping the Serpent would focus only on me and not anyone else. Everything went well until Katara jumped into the water, hoping to help me with the monster. She first tried to freeze it in place, but the sheer size and strength of the beast made that move unsuccessful. Even when we tried to pull it away from the ice bridge Katara created, it managed to smash the ice to bits. Figuring there was no way to stop the Serpent unless it was demobilized, I had to think of something drastic.

Sticking my staff into the water, I raced around the Serpent in a circle, hoping to trap it in a whirlpool. Just like when I was rescuing Momo in the desert, I had tunnel-vision to the extreme as my mind focused only on the beast. To me, failure was not an option, as no other life ought to be lost because of these senseless and perfectly preventable situations. It was either this Serpent stopped its pursuit of our group, or I would stop it myself. Luckily, Katara was here to help me out, making the whirlpool stronger and faster. Before long, the Serpent was trapped in the vortex.

Soon enough, the Serpent wore itself out in its attempt to escape. It carried too much momentum and slammed its body along the mountainous pass, knocking itself out and leaving us to be on our way. As we moved past the final parts of the pass, I thought a bit about the earlier battle against the Serpent. Just like what happened in the desert, I didn't feel any fear or regret about taking that action. I couldn't quite explain why, but when I was creating that vortex, it was like my mind was no longer in control of my body, which was merely acting out my actions in an emotionless way. Had I become that desensitized to the world that I was reacting to nothing anymore? Even if it were my goal to push my feelings aside, why did I feel so empty then? The situation was getting more and more confusing, and I was powerless to stop it.

But I had no time to dwell on that thought. Ying, the pregnant woman within the group of refugees, was about the give birth. I was nothing more than a spectator as Katara took charge of everything, ordering me to get rags while Toph created an earthen tent for her to tackle the delicate operation of delivering a baby. I was still in my dazed, somewhat-hypnotized state, not sure what to do or think. Following Katara's orders, I stepped into the tent with the rags, just in time to hear Katara call to Ying, "Get ready to push: one, two, three!"

Just then, the most beautiful sight came into the world, as Ying delivered a baby girl. Seeing the birth after all that we had been through suddenly put everything I experienced in the past few days into perspective. Even though these refugees went through all this hardship, trying to escape the war by taking this dangerous journey to Ba Sing Se, they still refused to give up hope. And now, if we succeeded in winning the war, their baby would be among the first people to grow up in a peaceful environment in a century. Despite all the losses they had, having to leave their homeland just to be safe, they still chose to soldier on, even though they could have given up at any time. If these regular folks could do it, then how come I, the Avatar, couldn't? Was I truly trying to be strong by bottling up my emotions and refusing to address the issue with Appa? Or was I just running away again, even though I swore I wouldn't run away anymore?

I felt tears pouring from my eyes as Ying told me she wanted a special name for the baby. It was then that I told her my story. "I've been going through a really hard time lately," I began, thinking back to the desert incident, "But you've made me hopeful again." Perhaps this birth was representative of the rebirth that was going through me, telling me that even though there were still hardships, it was possible to overcome them. If I could get through this incident with Appa, that meant I could get through any situation.

After everyone had a chance to clean up and saw the baby, which the family named Hope, I pulled Katara aside for a private talk. I truly regretted the nasty way I spoke to her last night, and was hoping at least she would understand what went on inside my mind. "I thought I was trying to be strong, but really I was just running away from my feelings," I described, "Seeing this family together, so full of happiness and love, it reminds me of the way I feel about Appa, and how I feel about you." Katara might not know it from the way I behaved around her in the last few days, but I still cared deeply for her. There was no one in the world more supportive than her, and the way I acted in reaction to her was downright irresponsible.

None was more overjoyed than I when Katara returned my gesture, pulling me into that hug that I rejected last night. I realized that we could never stop caring or hoping, and that reaching for something that might seem impossible was a part of life. Perhaps, if I could find Appa in that city, I could truly tell Katara how I felt about her, as I could feel my admiration and respect for her grow stronger by the day. She was solid as a rock when she guided us through that desert, and she was passionate and kind when she told me to not lose hope. I would never forget her words as I continued to do my very best in fulfilling my duties as the Avatar, and I would never hesitate in inspiring others to keep hope along the way.

________________________________________

**Aang's POV**

"You're Guru Pathik, right? The person who attached the note to Appa's horn?" Nothing made me happier than when I found Appa again after arriving at Ba Sing Se. It wasn't easy for us, as we had an invasion of Ba Sing Se via the Fire Nation's large mechanical drill on the first day. This was followed by more interruptions, such as the secret police known as the Dai Li, and our very annoying guide Joo Dee, but none of them weirder than when Jet showed up. The former leader of the Freedom Fighters claimed he had been living in Ba Sing Se the whole time, and seemed completely dazed about his history when he approached us. How could that be true?

But then it became obvious to us that the Dai Li and Joo Dee were more complex than we imagined. There was a conspiracy run by the Dai Li commander Long Feng, who used the secret police's power to keep the people of Ba Sing Se ignorant of the war. By keeping the Earth King blinded to the outside world, and the Dai Li brainwashing anyone who knew of the war, it was a disaster waiting to happen. We ended up fighting Long Feng after Jet regained his memory and led us to an underwater bunker, and Jet ended up losing his life to Long Feng there. Even though I mourned the death of my new friend, I realized there was a bigger goal at hand, such as informing the Earth King of what really went on in his country.

"In your note, you said you could teach me to gain control of the Avatar State. How?" I asked Pathik after a quick introduction. It was also in that lake that I found Appa again, and my group stormed the palace demanding to speak to the king. After some hard persuasion, we threw Long Feng's plans into the open, forcing him under arrest while the Earth King ordered a search of Long Feng's office. It was discovered that Long Feng withheld letters addressed to each one of us, including Pathik's invitation for me to train with him. With Long Feng in jail, and the Kyoshi Warriors arriving to guard the palace in our absence, we could proceed with our plans.

"You must bring balance to yourself, before you can bring balance to the world," Pathik instructed. He didn't have to say that again, after the destructiveness I showed with the Avatar State in the past. Time and time again, I feared that in my Avatar State, I would hurt someone I loved, like Katara. So if Pathik could give me some balance, I would accept without hesitation.

Before long, we got ourselves started with Pathik offering me onion and banana juice, which was the weirdest thing I had ever consumed. For a guy who claimed to be over a hundred years old and had connections with my former guardian Gyatso, Pathik sure shared my mentor's sense of humour. After asking me to remove my shirt, we got into a meditative position, where he pointed out each chakra in my body. I heard of some of these in the past, but never paid much attention to them. Now, it was like they were front and centre, and Pathik told me what each stood for and how each could be blocked. "There are seven chakras that flow up the body," he explained, his voice echoing off the dim cave, "Each one has a purpose, and can be blocked by a specific type of emotional block. Be warned, opening chakras is an intense experience."

Taking a deep breath, I agreed to the process. Once I started, there would be no stopping what was about to take place. With that, I concentrated hard on the guru's words as he explained the first chakra to me. Unfortunately, this chakra was blocked by fear, and all of my scariest memories returned to me in an instant. But before I could even react to the flurry of images, one thing stuck out at me. I was in the middle of a burning field, with a silhouetted man glaring right at me. There was no doubt in my mind who this was: the Fire Lord himself. I tried ducking for cover, but to no avail, as the flames licked my bare skin like knives. Why did I agree to the guru's proposal that I removed my shirt for this exercise?

Yet speaking of the guru, there was Pathik's voice, telling me that this was my survival instinct rather than reality. "You must surrender your fears," Pathik gently told me, "Let your fears flow down the creek." Taking a deep breath, I tried to calm myself down, imaging that the Fire Lord and the flames around me were flowing away, as Pathik described. By the time I opened my eyes, everything was back to normal. I was back in Pathik's cave, watching the guru congratulate me on opening my first chakra.

We would work throughout the night and into the next day, with each chakra becoming more painful physically and emotionally than the last. From forgiving myself for hurting all those people with the Avatar State, to grieving the deaths of my Air Nomad friends, to accepting that as the Avatar I had to serve everyone, including the Fire Nation, I had to conquer each block head-on. Yet, with some, Katara's face kept coming back, both positively and negatively. When I found new love when the Air Nomads died out, I was overjoyed. But when I recalled burning her hands while training with Jeong Jeong, I felt unbelievable shame. Right now, I wasn't sure how to put it, but Katara's presence was definitely making me feel uneasy.

Finally, after a day and a half of nonstop meditation and confronting my past, we were on the last chakra. This one dealt with cosmic energy, and was blocked by earthly attachment. Even though I was intent on doing this, something inside me kept holding me back. I couldn't focus on the guru's words as Pathik told me to think of what attached me to this world. And the second he said that, I was slammed by image after image of Katara, reminding me of all the times she supported me and stuck by me. It felt like no matter what happened, I couldn't let her go. "Why would I let go of Katara?" I demanded, snapping out of my meditative state, "I love her." She was precious to me, and not even all the cosmic energy in the entire universe would be enough to make me let go of her.

But Pathik was persistent, claiming that learning to let go was a requirement for getting the Avatar State. Yeah right, since I bet Pathik himself never had a loved one around the Eastern Air Temple for decades. Moreover, wasn't that contradictory to what he said three chakras ago, when he told me old love could be replaced by new love? The Air Nomads were gone, but Katara was here, so wasn't that good enough? Turning to Pathik, I realized he would never let go of the issue until I did it, so I had to try. Besides, I had come too far to not finish the job, so why not give it a shot? Maybe I could work something out with Katara after we were done?

Soon, I found myself floating in the sky, with nothing but stars and dark matter around me. There was no Katara, no visions of my past, nothing but a strange glowing path that led me forward. I gently balanced on it and slowly glanced up, seeing a gigantic version of myself just floating ominously before me. This giant version of me was like a statue, holding a round sphere of energy while the tattoos glowed. I didn't have to be told what it was, as the Avatar State was beckoning to me right now. I felt so small before it, but so drawn to its energy as it resonated in the darkness, providing a warmth and comfort that I couldn't describe. Without hesitation, I made my way forward, feeling the energy engulf me as I prepared to enter the Avatar State.

Suddenly, a new set of images interrupted my train of thought. There was no denying what it was, as Katara could be seen being tied up and carried off somewhere. I couldn't see her assailants, nor could I see the place they were holding her. But judging from her cries for help, I knew she was in danger. Immediately, I turned around and raced back, not even caring that the Avatar State's energy left me as I hurried to help the one I loved the most. As I fretted over who would do such a thing to Katara, I felt the cosmic bridge below me give way, plunging me into the dark depth of space. I had faced freefall multiple times, but nothing as scary as this. With surprisingly no bending available, I could only scream into the darkness.

I snapped out of my meditation and shot up from my stance. "Katara is in danger. I have to go," I informed Pathik. Without another word, I grabbed my clothes and hurried off the mountain. I hoped to get to Appa and got back to Ba Sing Se as quickly as possible. Based on the letters confiscated by Long Feng, Toph should be meeting with her parents who somehow came to Ba Sing Se, while Sokka was at Chameleon Bay after finding out his father was there. Katara chose to forgo the trip to plan the Fire Nation invasion at the palace, so the sooner I could get my team together, the quicker I could find out what was wrong with Katara.

Pathik's voice echoed off the mountainside, claiming that I wouldn't be able to master the Avatar State this way. I hesitated for just one moment, realizing how important this decision to go back would be. I was one step away from the most powerful technique in the world, and it would help end all the fighting and suffering people had been subject to for the last century. Could I just walk away from it right now, even though I had no idea what was going on with Katara? What if I just gave up this chance for a false alarm?

But nonetheless, the thought of Katara in harm's way bothered me too much. Even if it was just a false alarm, I had to make sure. Besides, if I had a chance to meditate again, I was sure to reach back into that last chakra and broke open the gate once and for all. The Avatar State could wait for one more day, as saving my friend was the most important thing right now. With Katara the only thing on my mind, I slid down the hill and boarded Appa, steering him straight at the direction of Ba Sing Se. I could only hope that nothing bad was happening to her right now.

________________________________________

**Aang's POV**

"Uncle, I don't understand. What are you doing with the Avatar?" Zuko's voice echoed off the walls of this underground cavern. When I picked up Sokka and Toph, we headed straight for our house in Ba Sing Se, hoping to find Katara there. When she was nowhere to be seen, it was General Iroh, that kind elderly man who had traveled with Zuko throughout that approached us. Apparently, Iroh was aware of the Dai Li conspiracy as well. He claimed Azula, the Fire Nation princess who imprisoned Bumi and pursued us through the Earth Kingdom with several machines, now had control of the secret police. With Zuko and Katara locked up together, he offered his help in saving them both together.

While Sokka and Toph went into the palace to warn the Earth King, I was left with Iroh. I didn't feel comfortable telling Sokka and Toph that I never mastered the Avatar State, but Iroh just made me feel a lot more at ease. Even though he was from the Fire Nation, there was this calm aura around Iroh that made people of all nationalities feel comfortable around him. And when I told him I gave up cosmic energy for the love of my life, he totally understood, and even claimed it might not be a bad idea. But now, we had to get out of here first.

"Saving you, that's what," I retorted at Zuko, glaring at him. I wasn't too happy that he somehow objected my presence here, and I still didn't trust him. While Iroh had been a lot more respectful and accepting, Zuko was still intent on capturing me and bringing me back to the Fire Nation. The fact that he was in this cave alone with Katara didn't make me feel right. If he was planning anything that would put Katara in harm's way, I would never forgive him.

Nonetheless, cooler heads would prevail, as Iroh told Katara and me to head off first. I was pretty sure that Katara was already aware of the Dai Li now cooperating with Azula, so we had to find our way out of here and into the palace. Sokka and Toph would require all the help they could get, as I doubted even the Earth Kingdom military command chain was prepared for the blindsiding they were about to get. Thanking the older man once more, we hurried away.

As Katara and I shuffled through the dark passages, I somehow couldn't muster any courage to start a conversation with her. It felt almost ironic that before the guru, I insisted that I couldn't let Katara go, to the point where I was professing my love for Katara and offering to give up the Avatar State just for her. But now, with her right beside me, I was at a loss for words. Was I afraid that Katara might not feel the same way about me? Was I afraid of Katara being unhappy with me choosing her over the Avatar State? I knew Katara was the type of put others above herself, so would she have told me to do the same and merely gave her up for the sake of the world? Regardless of how she felt, it wasn't something I wanted to bring up for now.

By the time we exited the dark and narrow passage, we were in a larger chamber, one that was littered with green crystals, making the area fairly bright for an underground catacomb. I could tell the way out was nearby, and Katara and I both quickened our paces. "We've got to find Sokka and Toph," she called over to me as we ran parallel to a pool of water. I was guessing this was the sewage collection drains or something like that.

But before I could take another step, a huge blast of fire came hurtling our way, causing me to turn around and block it with a slab of rock. Even though the flames didn't hit either one of us, it was strong enough to send us back a bit. I took a peek above the rock and realized it was Azula, who had that blue flame which was more powerful than Zuko's. With her on our trail, I knew this would be a difficult match. What did she do to Iroh, I thought.

Well, I wouldn't have the time to figure that out, as Katara's wave of retaliation was vaporized on the spot by Azula's fire. In the midst of the steam, she shot out from the mist and shot fire at us from in the air, causing us to create yet another water shield while she kicked off a pillar and continued her assault. Landing right between Katara and me, she pointed one hand in each direction. I had to admit I was very nervous, as our whole team plus Zuko and Iroh took her on in a deserted town, only for her to still escape. I knew we were all very tired that time, so hopefully, with more energy this time, we would have better luck against her.

The standstill soon tilted, as Zuko sent a blast into the fray as well. Originally, I was hoping Zuko might have a change of heart, and would attack Azula in order to help us escape. Unfortunately, either Iroh didn't get through to him, or he didn't listen to Iroh. Zuko tilted his fist in my direction and launched an unbelievable amount of fire my way. I found myself on the defensive as Katara was left to the mercy of Azula, who I knew wasn't going to go easy on her.

I did everything I could to stall Zuko, including blasting air at him, hitting the ground around him, and even leaping onto higher pillars and balancing on their crystals just to avoid his hits. None of which worked out for me, as Zuko's attacks came fast and furious on me. Before long, I was under siege from Zuko, who created long fire whips that kept lashing at the high areas. My heart pounded and my skin poured buckets of sweat out of both nervousness and the heat as I tried to dodge Zuko. There was no denying it, Zuko was committed to helping Azula.

But hanging from these rocks gave me an idea, as Zuko would be subject to falling debris from above. If I could at least disable him from above, then maybe it would give me the time it took to help Katara deal with Azula? Besides, when I was in Omashu the first time, one of the tricks I used to retrieve Bumi's lunch box key was to use stalactites, so why not try it out here? Grabbing hold of a huge slab, I cut away its foundation with air and sent it right at Zuko below.

Yes! The slab smacked the ground right in front of Zuko, and blew him back into a pile of crystals. Now I could devote my time to helping Katara, who was surprisingly holding her own against Azula. I dropped down from the ceiling just in time to see Azula being grabbed in one arm and one leg by Katara's water, almost completely incapacitated as Katara controlled Azula's every movement. I tried gathering myself, hoping to get an attack in, but all that was disrupted when another fire slice came through, chopping Katara's water in half. I had to do a double-take at first, but there was Zuko, staggering out of the rubble and ready to fight again.

Katara and I switched positions regarding the Fire Nation royal siblings, with Zuko now sparring against my friend while I tackled Azula. The Fire Nation princess jetted flames from her feet, propelling herself towards me. Thinking back to my earth bending training with Toph, I recalled an earthen suit being used in an exercise that called for having us push each other while preventing each other from crossing a line. But this time, I had more to work with, as these green crystals around me would sure come in handy. Coating myself with them, I dug deep into the ground, remembering to keep my centre of gravity low as I raced towards Azula as well.

Yikes! I knew Toph was hard to push against, but never did I imagine Azula being more forceful than her. Not only did she knock me back, she knocked me out of my suit. I was sent way into the far wall, sailing almost completely across this chamber, before slamming back-first against the rocks. I felt each bone in my body ache, my joints cracked and my teeth chattered as I tried to organize my bearings. With a hit like that, how could one stay in one piece?

Nonetheless, I had to fight on. Even if I couldn't get out of this place intact, at least I had to prevent this Ba Sing Se from being taken over by the Fire Nation. Fighting all the pain in the world, I jumped out from the ledge and sailed straight at Azula. I took another trick I observed from Toph, who rode an earthen wave of sorts when Sokka and I were flying back to Ba Sing Se. So I created an earthen wave of my own, smaller in magnitude and height as Toph's, and propelled myself towards Azula and Zuko. I was completely determined in my task, knowing I had to do whatever it took to stop them. The entire Earth Kingdom's safety rested on my acts.

Argh! Out of nowhere, a Dai Li agent appeared and pushed my wave sideways, sending me sprawling off of the rocks. By the time I peeled myself off of the ground, I realized the Dai Li already infiltrated this part of the catacombs, with at least thirty members standing in the centre. There was no way Katara could handle all these agents by herself, and I was given all that I could deal with. I gave Katara one more look, seeing her frantically hold back at least ten Dai Li agents. I cared too much for her to get hurt, but realized the only way I could help her was if I entered the Avatar State. "The only way is to let her go," Pathik's words echoed in my mind.

"I'm sorry, Katara," I murmured, creating a crystal tent around myself as I got into a meditative state. In the end, the guru's words came back to haunt me, as it was my attachment to Katara that would prevent me from saving her. I guessed it was true, wasn't it? Avatars weren't meant to be in relationships, or have families, or feel loved by others. But no matter what happened, whether Katara and I were meant to be with each other or not, I would protect her to the very end. If that meant fully entering the Avatar State, then I was ready to proceed.

Before long, I found myself back on that space road again, positioned right in front of the same larger glowing figure of me holding the ball of energy. Last time I was here, I ran off just before I could reach the energy, but this time, I would go straight into it. My mind still flooded with images of Katara, wondering how she was doing against the Dai Li, or if Azula and Zuko now turned their attacks on her as well. But instead of letting it eat away at me, I took every ounce of energy to shove that aside and focused on the situation before me. Once my energy fused with the figure's energy, the Avatar State would be accessible.

I felt a sudden surge within as the Avatar State was sparked, the aura taking over my body and taking my mind off whatever pain I was in earlier. Now, I was nothing but a floating being above all in the catacombs, having broken out of my crystal cocoon. The energy was still swirling within my body, but if I could take a few more seconds, then I would...

Yeow! There was an external source of energy penetrating into my body, and whatever it was, it was powerful. It mashed with my energy, and created a complete severing between the Avatar State and me. Not only that, I felt my entire body numbing up and my muscles flailing uncontrollably. As my body in the spiritual path was sent into freefall, I could feel myself slip out of consciousness. The visions became blurrier and blurrier until they turned all black.

________________________________________

**Aang's POV**

"Hey Aang," Toph greeted me in my room, "We're going into town to buy some dinner." According to Katara, this was the first time in weeks in which I was actually conscious and aware of my surroundings. The last thing I recalled before blacking out was Azula shooting me through with what I was told to be lightning. The Fire Nation princess must have something really powerful up her sleeve to do that much damage, knocking me out for that long. It was an experience that I hoped I never have to go through again.

I rubbed my stomach, which was now covered by layers of bandages. Katara told me that when Azula shot me through, it left a nasty burn through my back, and it would take months to recover from that. But either way, I had to get something into my stomach, given how I hadn't really eaten for days. Besides, a walk off the ship could be beneficial, right?

But Sokka's proposal absolutely drove me off the wall. Insisting that I ought to stay hidden, he handed me a long cloth to tie around my arrow. "I'm not going out if I can't wear my arrow proudly," I snapped, pushing the cloth away. Apparently, my weeks in a coma made it so that I now had a head-full of hair, meaning my arrow was completely covered except for the part sticking out onto my forehead. Apparently, the team thought it was now the best idea to stay hidden, blending in with the Fire Nation and waiting until the solar eclipse before retaliating. That was why Sokka's father Hakoda had us on board this stolen Fire Nation ship, and that everyone had to wear Fire Nation uniforms. Well, they might think it was a fantastic idea to let the world think I was dead, but this was going too far.

"You guys go ahead without us," Katara chimed in, shooing Sokka and Toph out of the room. I lumbered back to my bed, which had a huge Fire Nation flag hanging over it. The more I saw this banner, the sicker I felt, as it was a constant reminder of my failure at Ba Sing Se. I was shot dead, I couldn't protect the city, I couldn't access the Avatar State again, what more was there to say? I wished everyone would just go away and left me alone.

"I think I understand why being a secret bothers you so much," Katara's voice cut into my train of thoughts. Normally, her voice was one that was enough to calm me down, but today, it was not working. I knew she was trying to be kind and understanding by saying that I didn't want everyone to think I failed, but unfortunately, it only hurt more when she said it.

"But the problem is, I did fail!" I whipped my head to her, getting a good look at her face. Katara seemed like she had been through an ordeal as well, as the ever-optimistic expression was replaced by a glummer one, her bright observing eyes now drooped over and tired-looking. I guessed that, being in the same battle as I was in Ba Sing Se, she went through quite the hardship as well, but I doubted she went through the same pain that I did. "I lost, and now the Earth Kingdom has fallen for good," I continued, struggling to get up while using my staff as a crutch. My body was in so much pain that even the slightest movement sent shockwaves through me.

Katara tried to convince me that all was not lost, as we still had the invasion plan, but that only made me angrier. "I hate the invasion plan too! I don't want you or anyone else to risk their lives to fix my mistakes!" I shouted, grabbing the Fire Nation flag and tearing it off the wall. Was Katara that blind to what was going on? I loved her, and I cared too much about her to let her get hurt. I got myself into this mess, and only I would get myself out of it. The rest of these people who offered to help should stay out, just so there was no need for them to suffer the same way I did. "I've always known that I would have to face the Fire Lord, but now I know I have to do it alone. Katara, please, just go," I concluded, beckoning at the open door.

I flopped back down onto the bed, the room now in an ominous silence as Katara scurried out. It gave me some time to think about what really went on. Everything happened because I, the Avatar, neglected my most basic duty to protect people. Just like at the North Pole, where I was completely overwhelmed by the Fire Nation armada controlled by Zhao, I was in total defeat here as well. Back then, I admitted that I was too much of a naive, goofy, fun-seeking kid to truly realize the implications of the siege. I totally lucked out that the Ocean Spirit fused bodies with me, granting me the great spiritual powers that allowed me to turn back the Fire Nation.

But here, in Ba Sing Se, I supposedly had the experience to handle the situation. I went through my fair deal of hardship before, with Appa being stolen and Jet being killed. I went to a guru who offered to help me with the Avatar State, which would allow me to harness this great power. And lastly, I was supposed to learn to let Katara go, even though I would always love her and care for her. Yet even with all these things considered, I still failed to carry out my duty to protect the city. I was convinced that all this was my fault, and it was better off that I handled this alone, just so no one had to have blood on their hands. This was my burden, my curse, my responsibilities, and I would see that through to the end.

Picking up my staff, I slowly made my way out from the lower decks of this ship to the top. With only a few water tribe warriors on board, mainly doing maintenance work, there weren't too many people who could spot me. I stumbled several times, sending more numbing pain through my battered body, but still soldiered on. I had already put my friends through too much, and forcing them through more suffering would be incomprehensible. Right now, it was best that I split from the group, and found a way to heal myself before saving the world from the Fire Lord. Hopefully, in the future, once this was all over, I would meet up with them again.

It was pitch-black outside as I took off on my glider, making it difficult for me to navigate through this mess. It didn't help that the wind was starting to pick up, making this supposedly warm summer night surprisingly cold. I flew on for a little while, with my thoughts darker than the night sky brooding in my head. By the time I gathered enough strength to block out my pain, there was a line of Fire Nation ships patrolling the seas, causing me to go into the water just to avoid them. Boy, it felt like the entire world wanted to keep me from my goal of not affecting those around me. As I floated back up, I could only grab some driftwood to rest on.

The seas became rougher just as I put my glider onto the driftwood, using it as a sail for me to navigate further. I fought the elements and my own fatigue as waves battered me, making my body even weaker. I tried to jump a larger wave, but to no avail. It knocked my glider off and sent me straight into the water. Now, with my staff, my board, and my spirits all nearly broken, I was at the mercy of this violent thunderstorm. "I'm not going to make it," I muttered to myself, "I failed." No matter what choice I made, I was the big loser in the end.

"You haven't failed, Aang," a voice called to me. I glanced up and saw Roku's apparition floating above me, giving me reassurance that I was doing all I could. "If anyone is to blame for the state of the world, it is me. I should have seen this war coming, and prevented it," Roku continued, "You inherited my problems and my mistakes, but I believe you are destined to redeem me and save the world." Even though he tried to convince me I didn't abandon the world again, I still didn't feel any better. What did he mean by it was his mess?

"You already saved the world," a feminine voice chimed in. I turned the other way and saw the moon glowing brighter, with Yue now appearing in my vision. "You can save the world again, but you can't give up." She floated closer and closer down, almost like she was right at the sea level. It almost felt like she put me in the light, illuminating only my body in this dark night. And surprisingly, it made me feel more comfortable and confident.

Reaching inside, I found the strength it took to gather myself. I couldn't give up on the world, and that meant I couldn't give up on my friends. Katara, Sokka, Toph, and even the rest of the water tribe warriors, I couldn't possibly just leave them like this. The world might think I was dead, but it didn't mean the Fire Nation could do whatever it wanted. Likewise, even though it was still my responsibility to the world, I should accept help from others, and allowed them to help me through this, rather than pushed them away. How could I reunite the world's people if I kept building walls around myself? Getting up determinedly, I vowed not to give up.

I created a series of waves from behind me, propelling me through the rough seas. I still had no idea where I was, but the closest piece of land would be my ideal destination. Hopefully I could get some rest there, before I went back into the ocean to see if I could find Katara and the rest of my team. There was way more I could do with them than alone, and I was certain that, with the team, we could make a difference in this world together.

It would be morning before Katara, Sokka, and Toph found me, after flying most of the night on Appa scouring the seas. Apparently, I washed up at the same island where Roku's temple used to stand, meaning there was lava flowing all around me. I was beaten, battered, and bruised beyond belief, but otherwise I would be alright. The group told me that we ought to travel within the Fire Nation for now, all the while letting Hakoda and the others gather more of our allied before the invasion. Realizing that we would be in enemy territory, I figured it was best to go along with Sokka's plan. "It's better for now that no one knows I'm alive," I stated.

With that, I picked up what was left of my staff and trudged up the hillside with it. Picking a pool of magma, I implanted it into the bedrock, letting the molten liquid eat away at my staff until there was nothing left of it. It wasn't an easy decision for me to make, as I had to let go of my air bender ways temporarily. But for the betterment of the world, it was a decision I had to make. Boarding Appa once more, we prepared to go into the heart of the Fire Nation.

________________________________________

**Aang's POV**

"Dancing isn't something you think about. It's a form of self-expression that no one can ever take away from you," I lectured to the group of Fire Nation students standing before me in this wide cave. My group's first stop was at this Fire Nation town, and the first thing we did was take some Fire Nation clothing from a nearby clothesline that allowed us to blend in better. It just so happened that I knew some Fire Nation catchphrases, so I was more than willing to show my friends around in this place. They should still be saying "Flameo, hot man" a lot, right?

But my costume kind of made me stand out, as it happened to be a school uniform. The authorities thought I was skipping school, and ended up sending me into a classroom. It was there that I found out the Fire Nation kids were subject to the biggest group of killjoys in the world. All they did was recite allegiances to Fire Lord Ozai, and talked about boring (but more importantly, inaccurate) historical facts. They wouldn't even let me dance during music class, when everyone had to play patriotic songs on their instruments. How could anyone live like this?

And said group of kids was right there, standing around and looking hesitant. It was my idea to Katara, Sokka, and Toph that I invited them here for a dance party, hoping to show these kids some freedom. They were the future of the Fire Nation, and if we wanted to change the world, we had to start with the young. Even though they weren't sure what to do, I was willing to get the ball rolling. "It just so happens that I know several classic Fire Nation dances," I told them, recalling the times Kuzon and I would sneak around town peeping into people's dinner parties. To hide my identity, I took up my old friend's name, calling myself Kuzon in front of these kids. And right now, I better start impersonating Kuzon, who used to love impersonating dancers. "A hundred years ago, this was known as Phoenix Flight," I instructed, bending my knees while moving around in a circle. It was better when two people participated, so that it seemed like two phoenixes were flying, but right now, that would have to do.

The ooh's and aah's continued as I did a strut, waving my arms while leaping to my left and right, ending with a somersault before On Ji, one of the girls I met at the school. On Ji was one of the first students to notice that I had more interesting experiences than the regular kid, and actually wanted to see some moves during school time. Unfortunately, her overzealous boyfriend Hide, who happened to be one of the principal's favourites, decided to come pick a fight with me. Staying true to my air bender roots, I evaded and didn't retaliate, letting Hide tire himself out. Even though that ended with a parent-teacher meeting where Katara and Sokka had to pretend to be my parents, I was hoping things would go better tonight.

With each leap and flip, I was getting thunderous applause, almost like these kids had never seen a dance before. Realizing it was time they participated in it, I strolled up to On Ji, who now had a blush across her face, and asked her to take my hand. The girl hesitantly held on as I pulled her to the middle of the dance floor. Rather than trying a Fire Nation dance, maybe they should see an Earth Kingdom one. "And this is how they do it in the ballrooms of Ba Sing Se," I continued, taking small steps left and right while waving that corresponding hand. This one should be easy enough for anyone to do, so let's see if I could get some participation here.

"That's it. That's the sound of happy feet," I commented as more students joined in. This experiment was turning out to be a success after all, as more people wanted to take part. Like I said to them, self-expression and creativity was a part of life, and it was only right that the kids were allowed to have that. "Everybody freestyle," I shouted. Turning to the kids who brought their instruments and offered to play for us tonight, I told them to play a song with a quicker beat, just to let everyone really let loose. This was to be a night they would never forget.

Just then, I turned around and saw Katara seated to the side, hand holding up her head while looking extremely bored. Immediately I felt really bad, as all the time I spent with the kids I neglected my best friend. She was the one to put me back in high spirits, and now she had to be reduced to a mere spectator? I had to do something to make it up to her, and quickly thought of something. Marching up to Katara, I extended my hand out to her.

Instantly, Katara went from disinterested to nervous. "I don't know, Aang," she stuttered, motioning at her sandaled feet, "These shoes aren't really right for dancing, and I'm not sure that I know how to..." her eyes kept tilting away, all the while her hand rubbed her hair agitatedly.

"Take my hand," I instructed her confidently. It was like I said to her in the beginning, when I first met her at the South Pole. If she wanted to be a successful bender, she had to let go of her fear. Besides, if I made our dance resemble bending more than dancing, then maybe she would feel more comfortable? Dragging her to the dance floor, I leaned into Katara's ear and made my proposition. "Think of it like bending, but without the elements," I whispered, "Let's show these kids what the combination of water and air could be like."

We quickly took a bow and began our formation. We started off simple, both sides sticking out one arm, touching at the wrists, and circled each other. This was reminiscent both water bending and air bending, where circular motions were crucial to our forms. We added a twisting turn at the end of each revolution, almost like we were bending clouds on Appa. Even without looking at the crowd, I could see them stop and watch us. This was not unnoticed by Katara, who seemed a bit nervous that suddenly, we were the centre of attention. "Don't worry about them," I gently reassured Katara, "It's just you and me right now."

Soon, we added more complex moves to the mix, with our legs kicking, arms whipping, heads bobbing, and bodies flying. It was like the world was somewhere else as Katara and I danced to the song, completely focused on our movements and each other. This was the type of interaction that I missed all this time, especially when the guru told me to let her go. While I admitted that the thought did cross my mind, I also realized that Katara would always be a part of me no matter what happened with the Avatar State. Since I was still unable to activate the power due to my injury, I might as well live for today and enjoyed my every moment with Katara. And to see her have such a great time, it made me feel good as well.

By the time we ended, I was holding Katara, letting her lean her back against my outstretched arm. We stared happily into each other's eyes, all the while breathing heavily. The dance sequence was among the most dynamic thing I had ever done with her, and there was no doubt that the surreal feeling was still sinking in. With the kids around us bursting into applause, I knew Katara and I brought more than enough attention to ourselves, but it was for a good cause. Hopefully, the kids here all learned a lesson, and could express themselves freely from now on.

But apparently, we also brought the wrong kind of attention to ourselves, as Hide just showed up at the cave with the authorities. The headmaster of the school was none-too-pleased with our party, and now he wanted us arrested! I frantically tried to get my group out of here, all the while the kids ran interference against the headmaster. Some of them even tied their belts on their foreheads the way I did, just to confuse the authorities. Well, if this was the movement they started, learning to break away from authorities when need be, then I said it was a good thing. While I didn't expect them to rebel against authority all the time, at least they ought to have the power to speak their minds and choose their own lives, rather than lived the one chosen for them by the iron-fisted Fire Lord. Waving to my new friends, I sneaked out the back and used earth bending to seal the cave shut from that exit, making sure the authorities couldn't give chase.

As we boarded Appa, I got a chance to talk with my group. Sokka was vehemently against my party at the start, but after seeing the results, he totally changed his mind. Even Toph, the tough-talking one, congratulated me on my work, claiming I taught those kids to be free. But for me, the words I wanted to hear the most came from Katara. "It was some dance party," she commented, leaning over and giving me a peck on my cheek. Within seconds, my face flushed, and if it weren't for the night sky, Sokka and Toph would see bright red on me.

As we flew away from this region, I thought to myself just how important it was for those kids to experience that. The four of us here all had to experience some hardship before learning to open our eyes to the world, and even then we were striving to do more. For these kids, if they were to be important members of the Fire Nation in the future, especially if we could end the war, then this was the openness and receptiveness they required to make their nation great again. I would cherish this moment with them, as for one night, they showed me that the Fire Nation had the potential to do good, even in the face of the war. Maybe, just maybe, I might run into them again one day, and we would be working together for a greater goal.

________________________________________

**Roku's POV**

"Come, Aang," I stated, grabbing the boy's hand and pulling him onto my dragon. It had been a while since anyone from the Spirit World had been able to contact Aang, given his poor health. While I managed to see him once right after his awakening, I could tell his condition was not one where he could sustain any trip to the Spirit World for a long period of time. So when the condition was right, and his health was better, I invited my successor back to the Spirit World, telling him to fly to my home island where I could reveal some important information to him. It was with this that I hoped he could get what was required to save the world.

"We're going to visit my past," I informed Aang as we took to the skies on Fang, "Our shared past." Little did Aang know that I actually had a history with Fire Lord Sozin. That was what led to the current state of affairs. Why not bring him back to my childhood years, when Sozin and I were different people growing up in the Fire Nation?

By the time we flew out of the clouds, we were at the courtyard of the Fire Nation palace. There were two teens sparring, practicing their fire bending basics. Aang and I disembarked Fang and watched as the bulkier teen tricked the taller, slimmer one into tripping over a tree root, ending the battle. "You were friends with Fire Lord Sozin?" Aang asked incredulously.

I nodded. Back then, he was just a prince, but he was my best friend nonetheless. I was happy to have known such a unique individual, given that we shared many things, including a birthday. The scene quickly changed to that of a party, where Sozin and I were greeted by dozens of guests, celebrating our sixteenth birthday. It was also there that the Fire Sages suddenly showed up, claiming they were to announce the identity of the next Avatar. I knew Aang was quite nervous the few days after he was announced as the Avatar, but who could blame him? I was four years older than him when I was announced, so might as well let Aang see how I felt when the Fire Sages approached me. Maybe this would settle Aang's mind a bit.

"It is our honour to serve you, Avatar Roku," the five Fire Sages exclaimed, getting onto their knees and doing a full kowtow. Before long, everyone in the crowd followed suit, including Sozin, who was standing just beside the younger version of me. Because of the bowed statures of everyone in the crowd, it gave Aang a good look at the shocked expression on my counterpart's face, with the wide eyes, dropped jaw, and tense posture. Hopefully, this could show Aang that I was human too, and that the Avatar journey for me was just as complex.

After that, I led Aang on a journey following my experiences with the other elements. Aang was particularly happy to know that Gyatso, his mentor, was one of my classmates when I learned air bending in the Southern Air Temple. I then moved on to the Northern Water Tribe, learning my natural opposite element of water. Knowing Aang had difficulty with earth, I figured to show him some of my own problems with water, hoping he could figure out how to deal with his opposite. And speaking of earth, I ended in the Earth Kingdom, where I finished my journey with earth bending. Just like Aang, I had to go through bitter work just to get to my goal, but if I could do it, then certainly my successor could as well.

But there was another issue that I wanted Aang to see, and that was love. I knew Aang had always been worried about having to make a sacrifice between his Avatar duties and his love for those around him, especially that young water bending girl. While I agreed that part of an Avatar's duty was to the world, having to put the problems of others above his own, it was also true that the Avatar was human, and had to relate to people, no matter what. "When love is real, it finds a way," I explained, showing Aang my wedding to Ta Min, my childhood crush.

But it was at that wedding that things went downhill. I asked Sozin to be my best man for that ceremony, and everything was going well until he asked to be alone with me. Pulling me to the side, he proposed an idea where the Fire Nation could share its wealth with the world. Even without details, I knew it would be a bad idea. Sharing our wealth could only mean invading and taking over other countries, and that would disrupt the balance of the world. "That was my first real test as the Avatar," I described. Last time I spoke with Aang, he really blamed himself for his failure at Ba Sing Se. But if at least he knew the root of the problem, he could at least have a chance to avoid this mistake in the future.

I then showed Aang what happened years later, when Sozin did go ahead with his plans, occupying the outskirts of the Earth Kingdom. I ended up having a confrontation with Sozin in his own throne room, leading to me destroying parts of his palace via the Avatar State. Aang was very worried about his entrance of the Avatar State, and how many people it would hurt. But in a case where a government leader had gone out of line, it was a necessary step to show him what the Avatar was capable of. The Avatar before me, Kyoshi, had done the same thing to the Earth King, and I had to do it to Sozin, my own friend. Perhaps this could put Aang at ease about the Avatar State's power, leading him to realize that it was a crucial component in his arsenal. The Avatar State was always a part of the Avatar, and Aang had to accept it, no matter what.

But it was in the last incident of my life that would highlight what it truly meant to be an Avatar. It was twenty-five years since my confrontation with Sozin, and I hadn't really spoken to him since then. I spent most of my time on my island, living with my wife and looking after my village. I showed Aang what was supposed to be a peaceful night being rocked by a volcanic eruption, the dormant mountain coming to life in the most violent explosion the Fire Nation had ever seen in a century. While my wife got everyone to safety, I stayed behind to fight the volcano to prevent it from damaging our village. "Battling the elements was hard enough, but I had to do it while I could barely breathe," I told Aang as we watched the fumes blasted near me.

Fortunately, Sozin arrived to help me. While Aang was excited to see the Fire Lord and the Avatar working together again, it was not meant to be. I was blasted in the face by more toxic gases, this time suffocating me and causing me to collapse. I had to restrain Aang as we watched Sozin leave me behind, letting the volcanic landslide smother my dragon and me, burying the whole village and our bodies in the rubble. Apparently, the boy was shocked that Sozin wouldn't extend his hand to help his long-time friend from death, instead wanting to use this opportunity to create his empire. I could tell that from his experience in Ba Sing Se, a similar incident also happened to him, when the current Fire Prince chose to side with his sister and fought Aang rather than helped him escape. But there was more to that story than that ending.

We finally returned to the Air Temples, before Sozin could destroy them all. There, we saw the birth of a young boy. "That's me, isn't it?" Aang asked incredulously. Given that Aang was my reincarnation, and the war began right when he became the Avatar, it was appropriate to say that he inherited my mess. I didn't pretend to know what Aang felt about this incident, but at least Aang could rest assured that none of this was his fault. I had full faith in Aang being able to clean up this mess, and brought the world back to its formerly bright state.

But before I let Aang back into the real world, there was one thing I informed him about. "Even though the former Fire Lord betrayed the former Avatar, this incident may not have to repeat itself in the future. If you pay close attention, you will realize that the Fire Lord and the Avatar would cross paths again. And this time, if the right choices are made, the Fire Lord and the Avatar can become friends again." I could see Aang's perplexed expression, the air bender unsure of what I meant. It wasn't with the current Fire Lord Ozai that I was talking about, but the Fire Prince, my great-grandson, whose mother was my granddaughter. In time, Aang would have knowledge to this information, and hopefully he could put it to good use.

With one last line, I reminded him of the importance of today's journey. This wasn't just an attempt for me to reassure Aang that it wasn't his fault things became this way, but also an attempt to inspire Aang to work even harder to ending the war. "Make sense of our shared past, Aang," I repeated one last time before sending him back. He had been through so much since I first met him during the Winter Solstice, and I truly saw his growth throughout this time. He still had a lot more maturing to do, but for now, I was happy to let things stay on course.

Besides, I already summoned Iroh to the Spirit World, informing him of the upcoming events. Hopefully he already met with his nephew Zuko, and informed the Fire Prince that his destiny would be to restore honour to the Fire Nation. Only by helping the Avatar could this goal succeed, and it was with this that I hoped one day, the Avatar and the Fire Lord could cooperate in good faith and spirit. Great things were at hand for the world if those two could find the way.

________________________________________

**Katara's POV**

"It's like every time I think about how stressed I am, I get more stressed," Aang stammered as he paced back and forth, his arms twitching uncontrollably while his fingers twisted themselves around each other. After what had been a long journey through the Fire Nation, we finally arrived at the rendezvous point where my father would meet us before the invasion. We still had a few days to prepare, so I was intent on resting up and focusing my mind on the task at hand. Aang should at least be relaxing himself as well, given how he would play the major role in this invasion. He had to face the Fire Lord, so that counted for something, yes?

But I was dead wrong, as Aang was more nervous than anything else. He had consecutive nights of sleeplessness, claiming each time he went to bed, he had a nightmare about how he would botch the invasion. I didn't want to pry into his privacy and asked him about his dreams, but it was evident that he was uncomfortable. It didn't help that Sokka had to mouth off on him, claiming he better win against the worst human being in the world or we were all doomed. Giving my brother the biggest smack I could muster across his noggin, I approached Aang, who was shaking so much it almost seemed like he would fall apart.

"You know what? I've got just the thing," I suggested, placing my hands on his shoulders and leading him away, "Get ready to be de-stress-ified." We learned from Pakku that water was a calm element and that we should let our emotions flow like the water. So why not do a bunch of exercises near the water and let Aang wash his troubles away?

We climbed down some rocks and into a cave, except this cave wasn't dark and cool. In fact, this was a hot spring of sorts, producing a lot of heat while compounded by the sun shining through from the open top. "These yoga stretches can really work wonders if you do them in extreme heat," I described. The water around was vaporized continuously, so it would only flow out further and faster. "Reach up," I instructed Aang, stretching my arms into the air.

Aang followed suit, and soon we were synchronized in our movements. I didn't doubt the duties my friend had before him, as he had the biggest job in the world. But knowing that I was to be part of him since the beginning, I knew I had to do my part in supporting him whatever way possible. I had seen him grow up in front of my eyes, going from the goofy kid wanting to ride penguins and eels to the almost completely-realized Avatar that he was today. Now, his biggest task was at hand, and I had to do whatever I could to make him be at ease.

"Close your eyes," I continued, getting into a wider stance while dropping my head to the ground. The upper portions of our bodies were now upside-down, our heads between our knees as I tilted my eyes to the left and probed him, "How are you feeling?"

But the results weren't exactly what I expected, as Aang seemed more relaxed, only to go back to his blubbering nervous breakdown. "This heat," he stuttered, struggling to find the right words, "It's like I'm in the Fire Lord's palace and he's shooting a bunch of fireballs at me! And the whole world is being engulfed in flames!" With that, Aang's body crumpled, his stance now gone as he flipped onto his back, completely passed out.

I got out of my stance and glanced at Aang, flat on his back with his tongue sticking out from his mouth. Had it been any regular situation, I would have found it quite comical. Yet right now, there was nothing funny about this, as Aang's problem was deeper than I thought. With yoga exercises useless, what else could he do? "Maybe your stress is the kind you have to talk out," I suggested. Maybe Sokka could get on this case, given how he's always mouthing off.

For the rest of the day, I left Aang alone, hoping to let him sort out his problems with others as well. But even though my teammates did some work, I couldn't help but keep an eye on things from a distance, knowing that Aang wasn't going to get through this with ease. There was a large task for someone that young, even though he had grown a lot. I knew if I had to face the Fire Lord, I would be quite nervous as well. Even though I didn't agree with Toph all the time, I knew she was right when she said I was a kid just like the rest of them. And even though we didn't always see eye-to-eye, I knew Toph would support me if I were in Aang's shoes. So given Aang's current situation, wasn't it right that I helped him out?

At the same time, I also looked back at how far Aang came, and realized how things were so different compared to before. If the invasion was to succeed in the upcoming days, there would be a bigger role for the Avatar to play, as the Fire Nation hierarchy would be thrown out of order. This powerful and militaristic nation would be in disarray, leaving its people without a leader and its troops scattered. There would only be more trouble as Fire Nation troops still in the Earth Kingdom might want to continue fighting even though the Avatar defeated their leader. How could Aang handle that uncertainty, and who would he recommend to take over the position of Fire Lord? Which individual in the Fire Nation could bring this militaristic group to peace?

It would be nightfall when I met up with Aang again. Even though he said he felt a little bit better, I could tell the anxiety was getting the best of him. There were dark bags under his eyes, and his back had a pronounced slouch. I didn't want to push the issue any further, as I felt the best way he could deal with this right now was to get adequate rest. As I lied down onto the ground, I tried to clear my mind and get to sleep.

But it was to no avail, as Aang's bloodcurdling scream blasted into my ears. I shot up just to see cold beads glistening off Aang's forehead as he had another nightmare, the worst one by far. "There's only one thing I can do," he decided, "I'm going to stay awake straight through to the invasion." My jaw nearly fell off my head hearing that. Was that the healthiest thing to do, given Aang's fatigue? Surely he wasn't really going through with that, was he?

Aang really stayed to his word, refusing to sleep and stalking around like he was delusional. From imagining Momo speaking to him, to thinking Appa was in a fight was Momo using swords, things were getting out of hand. It got to the point where Sokka, Toph, and I had to find some way to make him go to bed. Noticing the Koala Sheep nearby, we used some of their wool to make a bed for Aang, hoping it was comfortable enough for him to sleep. It wasn't much, but at least it would show Aang that we did care about him.

It would be nightfall again when Aang finally found our custom-made bed, and thought it was another hallucination. But this time, the three of us were there, convincing him that this was real. The only way he was going to get any relief from the stress was if he just got some rest, and this was our way of helping him achieve that. "You've been training for this since the day we met. I've seen your progress, and you're smart, brave, and strong enough," I reassured him.

Sokka and Toph both agreed, believing Aang had what it took to defeat the Fire Lord. As I slowly eased him onto the bed, Aang smiled for the first time in days. "I think I am ready," he told us, leaning his head into the soft wool before drifting off to sleep. And seeing the one I cared for the most in his relaxed state, I couldn't help by smile as well. The future of the world would be in Aang's hands, and all the more for him to be ready to face it when it came.


	32. Aang, Part 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Each character grows up with a set of experiences unique to themselves. Watch each person describe what went through their minds and how they changed as they reacted to the world. These are their stories, these are their rites of passage.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: Michael DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko own Avatar.

**Aang's POV**

"So, this is it, huh?" I asked as my three best friends approached. After what had been several sleepless nights, we finally reached the day of the invasion. Hakoda wasn't kidding when he told us he gathered most of our allies from around the Earth Kingdom to take part, as people we had seen since the beginning of our journey were all here. Haru and his father, Teo and the Mechanist, the swamp benders, even members of the Earth Rumble tournament where we first found Toph, they all wanted to be a part of history. I was truly touched that they all decided to help us, and thanked them all for their support of our group.

But for me, I had the biggest task ever, as I had to face the Fire Lord. The plan was that my group would arrive on the shores of the Fire Nation without me, taking on their troops and creating the distraction while I flew into the capital city to find the Fire Lord. Once I defeated the Fire Lord, the group would then take the capital city and dealt with things from there. Now, before the last move, Katara, Sokka and Toph gave me final words of encouragement.

Sokka and I shook hands before the rest of the group pulled in for a big hug. "I hope you kick some serious Fire Nation butt, Twinkle Toes," Toph commented before letting go. As Sokka and Toph went off to prepare the submarines, an invention designed by Sokka but put together by Teo and the Mechanist, I was left alone with Katara. She had been through so much just to see me in this spot, and I had so much I wanted to say to her.

"You're not that goofy little kid I found in the iceberg anymore," Katara commented, referring to how much she felt I grew up since we first met, "I guess what I'm trying to say is, I'm really proud of you," she concluded with a shy smile. That serene and gentle look usually made me happy, but today, it made my face flush with heat.

"Everything's going to be different after today, isn't it?" I responded, referring to how the balance of the world would be restored. Even though I knew it was my duty to see this through, I still felt there was a chance things wouldn't work out. "What if I don't come back?" I asked, still worried about failure. Even if it didn't work out for the world, the very least I could do was make sure it worked out for Katara. I had to leave it on the line for her right now, showing her just how much she meant to me. If I didn't make it back, she would be alone in this world, so at very least she ought to know that even if I wasn't there with her, I would still love her.

"Aang, don't say that, of course you'll..." Katara tried to respond, but I wouldn't have any of that. Before time ran out for us both, I leaned in and kissed her on the lips, holding on for as long as possible. My heart raced, my body twitched, and my mind flustered all at once. I showed Katara how I felt about her, even if there wouldn't be time for her to respond. The second I broke off, I flipped my glider open and took to the skies. The Mechanist was kind enough to make me a new glider, and now I would fly this straight into the capital city. But for now, Katara ought to know I would always care for her, no matter what happened to me.

My mind was pretty much a blank as I flew towards the caldera where the capital city was located in. My only concern was to stay mentally tough and keep a clear head as I faced the Fire Lord. My whole group told me I was ready for this, and that all my training would pay off in the end. But for me, even though I had their full support, I couldn't help but think that if any mishap happened, I would be letting them all down. To claim there was no pressure on me would be a lie, as everything in our future would be affected by what happened today. Flipping open the snack compartment that the Mechanist added into the rod, I dropped a few peanuts into my mouth. "What do you know, it did come in handy," I commented.

I finally reached the edge of the caldera, stopping at a higher rock and looking down at the city. All the Fire Nation nobles, ministers, and military commanders were living here, and I was about to infiltrate into their territory. All this would bring me closer to the Fire Lord, where the final battle would take place. Part of me wondered if Zuko would be there, given how he betrayed us back in Ba Sing Se. I doubted he would jump back to our side, so I might have to worry about him, assuming he would help his father out. Taking a deep breath, I opened the glider again and dove into the city, aiming straight for the palace.

But surprisingly, the city was deathly silent, with not a single soul up and about. It was like the whole place was deserted as I peeked through open doors and into empty homes, with no one occupying any of these residences. "That's strange," I muttered to myself, landing onto the ground and racing to the palace. There were no guards at the front halls either, unlike the time we infiltrated the Earth Kingdom palace at Ba Sing Se. We were under siege from the frontlines when Appa flew in, and that was before they were aware there was a war going on outside. So how could the Fire Nation palace be so unguarded in the middle of a war?

With one shot, I blasted the front doors open with an air slice. "The Avatar is back!" I exclaimed, announcing to the Fire Nation that I was indeed alive. But instead of hearing people react, I heard absolutely nothing at all. My voice echoed through the wide chamber and into the darkness, creating an eerie atmosphere as I slowly stepped in. "Hello? Anyone home?" I called, hoping someone would respond to me. I had a really bad feeling about what was going on.

I lumbered through the empty halls, the line of rooms, and even the portraits gallery, where the paintings of every Fire Lord were hung. There was absolutely no one here, and I couldn't figure out why. Why would the Fire Lord and all his advisors and attendants just disappear like that? Where could they have possibly gone to? And would I still find them in time for the eclipse? Somehow, some way, this was starting to look bad.

I finally arrived at the throne room, the last chamber in which I would imagine the Fire Lord being located in. Every ounce of my being hoped for the fact that someone would be in there, but when I blasted the door open, my heart sank. It was, just like every other chamber, completely empty. Not even the torches on the walls were on as the only sounds that could be heard were my footsteps. It was official, there was nobody here at all.

My body dropped to the ground like a sack of rocks, my mind overcome with emotion as I wondered what went wrong. Had I come all this way for nothing? Did I do all that preparation work just to fail because I didn't consider the possibility that the palace would be empty? There was no way that I came all the way from my failure in Ba Sing Se, learning my mistakes and training extra hard, just to fail the world again, right?

But the dim room and the eerie silence continued to mock me, almost like the Fire Lord was purposely playing hide-and-seek with me. While I would be one for games in the Southern Air Temple, this was no time for that. Now, with every second bringing me closer to the actual eclipse, my time was running out. What if I couldn't find the Fire Lord in time? Would our good opportunity to attack be completely wasted here? My heart raced, my body trembled, and tears threatened to spill out my eyes as I shouted, "Fire Lord Ozai, where are you?"

________________________________________

**Aang's POV**

"Where is he? Where is the Fire Lord?" I demanded at the snickering individual seated on the lone chair in this wide chamber that oddly resembled the throne room back at the palace. I went back to my team and reported to them that the Fire Lord was missing, and instantly they figured that the Fire Nation knew about our invasion from the beginning. I was seriously kicking myself for not considering that, as we left Katara alone with the fake Kyoshi Warriors, played by none other than Princess Azula and her two friends. Now, we were running out of time to find the Fire Lord in this underground metallic bunker.

And guess who was there to stall for time? Azula. She obviously took great pride in ensuring that we weren't going anywhere, as she sat nonchalantly in the chair before us. Even though Katara was concerned that going after the Fire Lord with so little time left would leave us vulnerable, I was intent on trying anyway. We came too far to back out now, so at least we ought to go in to take a look. So while Katara took care of her father, who was injured in the original march up to the capital, Sokka, Toph, and I located the underground bunker where we believed the Fire Lord would be. We managed to get some directions to the Fire Lord from a minister who was hiding down here, but little did we know they were the wrong one.

"You mean I'm not good enough for you? You're hurting my feelings," Azula responded tauntingly, gesturing melodramatically at us as we demanded answers from her. It wasn't the first time we faced the Fire Nation princess, and we all knew how cunning and manipulative she could be. It was really a stroke of bad luck that we ended up being in the same room as her, as she was bound to do anything possible to hinder our search for the Fire Lord.

Unfortunately, even in her powerless state, Azula refused to cooperate. Even with Toph claiming to sense her lies, Azula showed that she could make up stories so well that it rendered Toph's special ability useless. And the scariest part was that even without fire bending, Azula had what we never would have expected her to have. "When I left Ba Sing Se, I brought home some souvenirs," she explained, dusting her uniform off. Just as she did that, two individuals wearing dark robes dropped from the rocky ceiling. "Dai Li agents," she introduced them to us.

The second they hit the ground, I knew it was bad news. The Dai Li was known for its stealth, precision, and unpredictability. Even without making a move, I knew we were in for a long fight. Whipping an air slice, I tried to get the first blow in, only to have the two agents calmly create a rock wall to block it cleanly. Even when I managed to leap over the wall, I was immediately greeted with shot after shot of rock, all of which I had to kick or swat down. All the while, Azula was standing right behind them, completely untouched by our attacks. If we could not penetrate through the Dai Li, then our battle was pretty much lost.

Luckily, Toph was there to help, sending the two agents out of the way with simultaneous rock pillars while aiming a third one straight at Azula. It was a close call to say the least, as the Fire Nation princess was propelled into the air, but managed to flip her body around and landed back on her chair. That was when I pursued, aiming straight for Azula while keeping my eye on the Dai Li agents. There was one speeding along on my left, and I knew he would go on the attack any moment. Timing it just right, I waited until he created his rock wall, jumping high into the air and unleashing a huge kick. While in the same set of motions, I stomped the ground hard and pinned the Dai Li agent, leaving Azula straight in my sight.

I unleashed another set of air blasts, with one shattering her chair. But for some reason, Azula didn't do anything to attack back. Even though she was out of fire bending, I was certain that Azula would do something else to fight us, but she was in complete defensive mode, opting to deflect our attacks and refusing to retaliate at all. And unfortunately for us, there was still one other Dai Li agent doing the distracting work while Azula escaped through the original wall, nearly knocking over Sokka in the process. I really hated to make this comparison, but Azula had the agility and evasiveness of an air bender right now.

By the time we raced out of the chamber, Sokka had an idea. Shouting over the sounds of Toph bending metal to trap the remaining Dai Li agent in, Sokka insisted that we stopped our chase. Claiming that Azula wasn't trying to win the fight, Sokka suggested we ought to forget about dealing with her. "We just have to get out of here and find the Fire Lord on our own somehow," he described, grabbing me by the elbow and pulling me away from Azula.

But then, Azula did the unthinkable. Calling out to Sokka, she claimed she had in her possession her favourite prisoner, someone Sokka cared deeply for. "She was convinced you were going to come rescue her. Of course, you never came, and she gave up on you!" Azula ended with a sneer. I didn't even need to look to know Sokka was boiling mad.

Before Toph and I could even grab him, Sokka pounced on Azula, pinning her against the rock wall. "Where is Suki? Answer me!" Sokka demanded, "Where are you keeping her?" Even when I told Sokka to stop, it wasn't working, as my friend was in a raging frenzy. This was an absolute low blow for Azula, hitting Sokka where he was weakest and preying on his emotions like that. Even though I believed in peaceful resolution, opting to use the least amount of force possible to take out my enemies, this was truly testing my patience too.

Then without any warning, Azula kicked up a leg and sent a fire blast from her foot at Sokka. Had it not been for Toph tackling the water tribe warrior, he would be roasted alive. I could only watch in horror as Azula broke free from the wall and hustled off, purposely telling us her father's location just to taunt us. "I fell for it. I used up all our time, and now it's too late," Sokka lamented, looking more helpless than ever before. Now, with the eclipse over, fire benders would have their strength back, making them that much harder to take down.

Determined not to let yet another chance slip past, I insisted that I could still face the Fire Lord. I trained all this time just to do this, so I couldn't back out now. But Sokka was adamant that we got out of here as soon as possible. Heck, even Toph was insisting we left, claiming it just wasn't our day. Usually, running away would mean getting a tongue lashing from Toph. But instead of calling me every name under the sun, Toph was telling me to bail. Heh, funny how our priorities changed the second things went sour.

But we had no time to argue, as we must get everyone back to safety. As we emerged from the darkness, boarding Appa and flying back to the capital where the troops were located, a series of gigantic warships lifted off into the air. Dropping Sokka and Toph off with Hakoda, I flipped my glider open, offering to help our team by slowing down the airship fleet. Luckily, Katara hopped onto Appa, giving me extra reinforcement.

I dodged a hail of fire as I aimed for the first war balloon, turning my glider back into a staff and piercing the red fabric with the Fire Nation insignia on it. While that balloon floated helplessly to the ground, I aimed for the larger airships. I could tell that they were metallic and mechanical in nature, so conventional bending would be almost useless against them. And with their formation and how there were fire benders perched at each platform that extended out from the control cab of each airship, there was no way I could even get close. As I spun and dodged each shot, I could only look at Appa, who was being bombarded as well. Had it not been for the fancy armour Sokka made, Appa would have suffered immense bruising right now.

Turning to Katara, I suggested that we joined the others. Hopefully this gave them enough time to get down the mountain and back to the subs, where they could make a quick escape. Searching for the group, we found them on the side of the mountain, still snaking their way down from the top. My gut rumbled uncomfortably, indicating my bad feeling about this. With the fleet's speed compared to ours, they could catch up in no time.

We landed just in time for the airships to hover over us, letting loose a barrage of bombs that rocked the entire mountainside. Luckily for us, Toph was nearby, and could bend enough rock to give us all cover. But judging from the ferocity of the explosions above, I could tell even Toph was meeting her match. The Fire Nation was shooting to kill, no doubt about that.

Then, as suddenly as the bombing began, it halted, leaving us to stand in silence. I looked out to the coast and saw the airships hovering right above our submarines. That's when I knew it was all over, as the Fire Nation was intent on taking us all prisoner. With our only transportation source at risk, there was no escape. While Sokka insisted we should take a stand, his father made an even more shocking statement. "You kids have to leave," he ordered, struggling to stand up straight with his wound, "You have to escape on Appa together."

Immediately, my gut fell to my knees as Hakoda insisted I took the youngest of our group somewhere safe as a way to keep hope alive. The adults would stay behind and surrendered to the Fire Nation. My knees nearly buckled as I thought of how I failed the world yet again, the memories of Ba Sing Se returning once more. Why did more people have to sacrifice themselves just because of a mess I created? As the younger fighters like Teo, Haru, and The Duke boarded Appa, I felt tears spilling from my eyes. The burden on my back just increased its weight by that much more as the window to defeating the Fire Nation shrunk yet again.

Katara placed a comforting hand on my shoulder, willing me to get up to face the brave group of warriors that participated in this battle with me. I might have let them down today, but I would rectify this mistake the first chance I got. "Thank you all for being so brave and so strong, and I'm going to make this up to you," I promised, determined never to let them down again.

Appa let out a mournful groan as he took off into the skies, leaving behind this great group of human beings who were now at the mercy of the Fire Nation. I had no choice but to leave them, but I felt guilty about it nonetheless. But for now, my priority was to settle this new group down and hopefully come up with a new plan. There was only one place close enough to the Fire Nation but secret enough for us to hide: the Western Air Temple. With a heavy heart, I steered Appa in that direction, with only the goal of righting today's wrong in my mind.

________________________________________

**Aang's POV**

"Look, I admit I've done some awful things," our visitor stuttered. After our defeat at the invasion, we ended up coming to the Western Air Temple. Haru, Teo and The Duke were just fascinated by this place and went exploring the area, all the while our team remained to deal with the next step. Originally, Sokka suggested we went back to the old plan, where I was to learn fire bending before fighting the Fire Lord. But the problem was, we had no fire bender accessible here. We didn't know where Jeong Jeong was, Iroh was most likely in jail, and there wasn't a soul in the Fire Nation that we could trust. How could we even execute this plan?

But suddenly, a fire bender came into our camp in the form of this visitor. The long shaggy hair did nothing to hide the ugly scar on the left side of his face as Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation decided to pay us a visit. Oh, so after his people humiliated us, captured all the adults in our group, and put us on the run, he had to come rub it in? This was too much! And now he let it slip that sending the Combustion Man after us was his idea too, so when would the madness end? I wasn't exactly in the mood to discuss anything involving fighting the Fire Lord right now, so Zuko's words were clearly grating on my nerves.

Surprisingly, Zuko turned to me, asking me to speak up. "You once thought we could be friends," he pointed out, taking me back to the incident at Zhao's fortress, "you know I have good in me." Those simple words I said in the forest now came back to haunt me, as I indeed told him we could have been friends. Now, with this awkward situation, would I have to take back my words? This was getting more confusing by the minute.

But still, Zuko did do a lot of bad things, and I was witness to many of them. Burning down Kyoshi Island, stealing Katara's necklace and taking her hostage, the incident at Roku's Temple, all those images flashed through my mind. I had to be crazy if I would invite Zuko into my group without considering that. "There's no way we could trust you after everything you've done," I stated, refusing to let Zuko join us. Hopefully, this would end the argument, and the Fire Prince would just be on his way out.

Boy, talk about desperate. Now Zuko was intent on letting us take him prisoner, as a way to join our group? Luckily, Katara was there to save us from the embarrassment. She blasted Zuko with a jet of water, warning him not to show his face to us again. That seemed to have gotten through to Zuko, who trudged out with his tail between his legs.

But even with Zuko gone, I kept getting recurring flashbacks to that event at Zhao's fortress. When I told Zuko about Kuzon, and hoped we could be friends, I truly meant it. There was something about what Zuko did on that day that really struck me, as he came all the way to that fortress just to take me out. Maybe I was being naive to think that he was actually letting me out, when really he wanted to capture me for himself. But whatever the case, that was one thing that would never leave my mind. Was there good in him, or was there none?

Toph seemed to be convinced that there was good in him, as she confronted the three of us. "I'm just saying considering is messed up family and how he was raised, he could have turned out a lot worse," she described, "All I know is that while he was talking to us, he was sincere. Maybe you're all just letting your hurt feelings keep you from thinking clearly."

What? Toph was going too far, as there was no way she could tell what nasty things Zuko did to us in the past. Even though she was right in the sense that I still must find a fire bending teacher, and Zuko was a master fire bender, I wasn't willing to entrust my future battle in the hands of the enemy. "I'm not having Zuko as my teacher," I retorted, moving away from Toph. Before long, Katara and Sokka joined me, leaving Toph to stand alone at the open entrance of the temple. With the sunlight dimming as we neared dusk, Toph's face descended into silhouette.

We didn't talk to Toph for the rest of the night, my mind too tired and flustered to do any arguing. Not only was I still very much ashamed of my yet another failure, I was also trying to figure out some clues given to me by Roku himself. I thought I realized what he meant when he told me the Avatar and the Fire Lord would cross paths again, but I had no idea why he felt there was a way to make us friends again. Perhaps he was telling me to spare the Fire Lord's life, if the situation called for it? While I didn't plan on taking Fire Lord Ozai's life, hence attacking him when he was powerless, I doubted that was what Roku meant. What was he trying to tell me? As darkness smothered the temple, I got to sleep without figuring out the mystery.

But by the time we woke up, it was not good news. Toph crawled through a tunnel, waving us over while hollering in pain. "My feet got burned," she groaned, showing us the red scorch marks while moving forward via the belly crawl. She claimed she went to see Zuko, and somehow she ended up getting scorched by him. As Sokka and I lifted Toph off the ground, placing her feet into a nearby fountain, we realized that Zuko was now too dangerous to be left alone. We had to go after him to ensure he couldn't harm any more people.

However, we couldn't even make a move, as a series of small but concentrated fire blasts came hurtling down at us. It didn't take another look for us to realize it was the distinct shots of the Combustion Man, the same assassin Zuko sent to stalk us throughout the Fire Nation. We fought with him twice before, once when he took Katara and Toph prisoner. It wouldn't surprise me that this was another one of Zuko's traps, where he would get the Combustion Man for help to capture us should his plan to infiltrate us yesterday fail. With the strange fire shots smashing through the rocky pillars holding up the temple, we could do nothing more than hide.

Strangely enough, Zuko's voice could be heard calling the Combustion Man to stop, ordering him off the mission and telling him he didn't want to hunt me down anymore. Was this another one of Zuko's tricks, where he would try to gain my trust by stopping his own assassin? Even though I still felt unsure of Zuko's motives, I did get a glance at his actions. The fact that he was waving at the assassin, who merely shoved him aside like a ragdoll, seemed too real to be faked. Believe it or not, I actually felt he looked like he was trying to defend us.

But no time to worry about that, as the Combustion Man was intent on blowing us right off the cliff. The Western Air Temple was built into a canyon, meaning all these structures were part of a cliff hanging over the gorge. If this place any more hits, it could literally be blasted off the bedrock and into the canyon below. In a desperate move, Sokka marched to the front of the pillar and, getting an angle from the shots, hurled his boomerang into the direction of the Combustion Man. My heart raced and cold beads developed on my head as I wondered what would happen next. Could Sokka's crazy plan work at all?

An eerie silence rolled over us as we edged out from our hiding spot. The Combustion Man was on the higher platform away from us, shaking his head and looking dazed. As he aimed to shoot at us again, I knew something was really wrong. Before we knew it, the shot backfired, and completely destroyed that part of the temple. I didn't know where Zuko was, but at least I was relieved that the Combustion Man would no longer be threatening us.

Finally, Zuko reappeared into view, hanging onto an old branch while dragging himself back onto solid ground. As he approached us, I couldn't believe what I was thinking. Whatever doubts I had in the past about him trying to save me just to bring me back to the Fire Nation were gone. "Thanks, Zuko," I murmured, knowing that this time, he did save us for real.

Zuko then explained to us all why he was truly here. "I thought I had lost my honour, and that somehow my father could return it to me," he began, going through parts of his life history. Instead of cutting him off, I suddenly wanted to hear more, urging myself to do whatever I could to understand this individual. Toph was right when she told us he had been through a lot, and that it was with Iroh's guidance that Zuko didn't stray too far from the wrong path. "But I know now that no one can give you your honour, as it's something you earn for yourself by choosing to do what's right," Zuko concluded, his voice neither tense nor assertive.

Turning to Toph, Zuko apologized for burning her feet, claiming that fire was a dangerous element, and he had to exert more control in his bending so he wouldn't hurt anyone around him. Suddenly, I realized what Roku was trying to say. The Fire Lord he mentioned was not the current one, but the future one. With Zuko being the only male heir produced by the Fire Nation, it was likely he would become Fire Lord one day. Moreover, with his comment about the need to be careful with fire, it was a complete reversal back to my situation. When I first learned fire bending with Jeong Jeong, I was so intent on showing off that I ended up burning Katara. From that moment on, I swore to never fire bend again. Now, knowing that Zuko realized the dangers of the element, and offered to teach me the same, I knew I had to cooperate with him.

Stepping up to Zuko and ignoring the shocked looks on Katara and Sokka, I gave Zuko a Fire Nation bow. "I know you understand how easy it is to hurt the people you love," I stated, "I'd like you to teach me." With that, I knew my training was about to be completed.

Turning to my group, I asked for their consensus. Toph agreed, jokingly claiming it would give her a chance to get Zuko back for burning her feet. Sokka also joined in, saying he would respect my every decision as long as it ended the war. Lastly, I turned to Katara, the very person Zuko betrayed back in Ba Sing Se. I knew Katara wouldn't take it well, given how that incident nearly led to my death. How would she feel about having Zuko with her?

The fume on Katara's face seemed to last on forever before she relented, finally willing to go along with my decision. I knew it would be an awkward situation, to have our former enemy now join our camp. But in the grand scheme of things, I knew Zuko would not let us down. My words at Zhao's fortress were still good, even though my trust in him waned in the days following that incident. But hopefully, we could finally begin to form some bonds that would change us from fierce rivals to good friends. And together, we had what it took to restore the honour of the Fire Nation and the balance of the world.

________________________________________

**Aang's POV**

"If you're going to see the masters, you must bring them a piece of the eternal flame," the tall, heavyset man explained, gesturing at a huge bonfire burning in this altar. Zuko and I barely began my fire bending lessons when disaster struck. For whatever reason, Zuko no longer had the ability to fire bend. He guessed that it might be because he changed sides, therefore losing his drive to control fire. I wasn't so sure about that, because based on my observations, fire bending seemed to be driven by rage. Maybe Zuko just wasn't angry enough right now to fire bend?

Zuko told me he didn't want to rely on anger anymore, so we decided to go to the first civilization to learn fire bending from, just to see what they had to offer. The Sun Warriors were the first people to receive training from the original fire benders, the dragons. Unfortunately, the Fire Nation, led by then-Fire Lord Sozin, started a tradition of hunting dragons as a way to gain honour, which pretty much made that species go extinct in the world. Now, our fate with fire now lied in the hands of this group of people many thought disappeared for centuries.

But seeing the huge fire flaring before me really gave me cause for concern. The last time I handled fire, I held a piece much smaller than this one, and even then I lost control of it. I was too intent on showing off to Katara, and in the process burned her. Even though I realized I could not stick true to my vow of never fire bending again, I was still hesitant on carrying it. As the Sun Warrior chief pulled out two blobs of fire, placing one in each hand, I meekly asked, "I'm not a fire bender yet. Couldn't my friend here carry my fire for me?" I gestured at Zuko.

The very blunt response from the chief indicated I was out of luck. Offering the fire to us, the chief explained that the essence of fire bending was all about balance. If the fire was too small, then it would be extinguished. But if it was too big, then it would spiral out of control. Zuko soon took his flame from the heavyset man, and now it was my turn. My stomach churned and twisted as the flames licked the air in front of me, heating up the entire front of my body. Why did things always have to end up like this?

I hesitantly stuck my hands out, trying to form a cup the way Zuko did. The chief placed the flame into my hands, and backed away. I was half-expecting that things would go crazy with the fire in my hands, but surprisingly it didn't. In fact, there was warmth and liveliness, almost like the fire had a life of its own. "It's like a little heartbeat," I commented.

The chief apparently agreed, claiming fire represented life, not destruction. Pointing at a strange mountain in the distance, he instructed us to bring the flame up to the centre of the two peaks. Right at the split between the two jagged towers was an entrance to the masters, who would judge us accordingly. According to the chief, the masters would destroy Zuko and me on the spot if they judged us negatively. Well, just more pressure into my stressed-out life, yes?

As the Sun Warriors around us dispersed, going up to the mountain to meet us there, it left Zuko and me alone. We had to walk through the plains up the forests at the mountain slope, and into the crack between peaks. As we descended the steps of the altar to begin our journey, it gave me a chance to think about how I related to Zuko. To say things got off on the wrong foot between us was an understatement, given he had been on the opposite side of me from the day we first met. Hunting me down, trying to capture me, holding my friends hostage, all these things were prominent in my mind. So to have Zuko suddenly join our team to defeat the Fire Lord, I couldn't help but feel uneasy about it. After all, how could anyone trust a person who was there watching while his sister shot you through with lightning?

Yet at the same time, spending my first day with him on fire bending, I realized he wasn't that bad of a person. He obviously was knowledgeable in his element, and when we were at the entrance of the original chamber we arrived at, Zuko showed great ingenuity by using his sword to reflect the sunlight so that it hit the gemstone to open the door. I knew there were quite a lot of misunderstandings between him and us, and hopefully we could get that all sorted out. But one thing I knew for certain was that Toph was right when she said Zuko being influenced by Iroh was a good thing. At least, with the old general's help, Zuko was put back on the right path.

"Hurry up!" Zuko's call pushed me back to reality. We were now out of the woods and at the final stage of our journey, navigating up the rocky mountainside while holding our fires. For the entire journey, I walked at a pace much slower than I usually did. What if I went too fast and picked up a breeze, leading to the fire being blown out? "You're too timid, give it more juice," Zuko continued, “You can do it, I know you can. You're a talented kid."

Well, at least Zuko's words of encouragement were a breath of fresh air. I could see where he picked that up from, as Iroh was equally encouraging of me when he told me not to worry about the Avatar State. Zuko told me somehow Iroh got out of jail despite not having any bending, so I really hoped Iroh was alright after our botched invasion. Hopefully we would run across Iroh again in the future, because I had a lot to thank him for. Making the final steps up to the meeting area, I was feeling much better than I did when I first left.

There was a staircase of indescribable heights, as high as most air temples I had been to. On the top of the stairs was a platform, with two bridges linking it to a cave of sorts on either side. I continued marvelling at the sight while the Sun Warrior chief approached us, taking some fire from Zuko and me and handing them off to people around us. They were in a circular formation, with those standing creating fire rings while some were seated before them. I wasn't sure what this ritual was, but it was unlike anything I had ever seen.

Then the chief had to suck all the positive and upbeat news away from me as he reminded how Zuko and I were directly responsible for the deaths of the dragons. Zuko's ancestor Sozin started the hunt, while I was locked in an iceberg for a hundred years, meaning I couldn't be there to stop the extermination. Swallowing hard as drums and other instruments were brought out to the formation, I turned to Zuko and suggested we turned back. We already learned more about fire than we expected, so let's quit while we were ahead, right?

But Zuko was adamant we should see this through, claiming the Fire Prince and the Avatar could take on whoever these great masters might be. When the Sun Warrior chief invited us up the stairs amidst beating drums and tribal chants, my knees literally turned into jelly. Each step I took on the stairs I felt my feet getting heavier, almost like it had become part of the bedrock that made up these steps. I was rose to dizzying heights, the ground below the steps nothing but a blur as I took the final few steps. Usually I would have no problem with heights, given my skills on my glider. But knowing we would be burned to a crisp should we fail this mission, things were not looking pretty for Zuko and I.

The chief called from below again, telling us to present our flame to the masters. Zuko and I both took one cave, standing back-to-back as we bowed our heads and offered our fire. A horn soon sounded and bird fluttered into the air, a reaction to the strange rumbling coming from my cave. "What's happening?" I asked, turning to Zuko to see if the same was occurring at his cave. I couldn't see inside the dark tunnel, and I wasn't sure if I wanted to.

As I turned back to my cave, I realized I did something incredibly stupid. When I turned to Zuko, I let go of my fire, meaning it went out. Now, with nothing but hot air in front of me, I had nothing to give to the master should he come out. "Zuko, my fire went out," I whispered, turning back to the Fire Prince, "give me some of yours."

But Zuko was the stingiest man alive, refusing to hand over anything. Claiming I ought to make my own, he fended me off with his right hand while holding the flame in his left. Come on, Zuko, this wasn't a game here! Our lives were at stake, and he had to take this time to make me look bad? Think about your priorities, man! "Stop cheating off me!" he shouted.

But then, disaster struck, as in our struggle for the flame (me in getting it from him, and he in preventing me from getting it), the fire went out. We could only look at each other in total horror, wondering what would happen next. Before long, that ominous rumbling I heard from my cave returned, this time from both tunnels. Things were about to get a lot worse!

Then surprisingly, the two masters that came out weren't humans, but dragons. I was in complete shock as the two circled the platform, causing Zuko and I to dodge and duck, edging closer and closer to the centre. Weren't the dragons supposed to be extinct? Zuko told me his uncle Iroh killed the last dragon and received his title, so what were these creatures doing here? Zuko and I could only stand back-to-back again as the two serpentine creatures did some sort of weird aerial flight around us, almost like they were in a simultaneous dance.

Wait, dance! When Zuko and I first entered the Sun Warriors' buildings, the first chamber we were in had a series of statues that looked like a dance of some sort. What if the statues were mirroring the dragons' flight, and leading to the essence of fire bending? As my eyes honed in on the dragons, I realized each dance step would fit the dragons' flight quite well. Leaning my head over to Zuko, I suggested we did that dance with the master.

Zuko originally refused, claiming I would be crazy to dance at a time like this. But with the masters now circling us ominously, was there any other choice? At least it beat standing on this platform looking like a couple of idiots! Taking a deep breath, Zuko and I took our stances and began our sequence. I focused hard on the statues, trying to remember their every pose and posture. I was too concentrated to see what was going on around me, but I knew there was a blue dragon flying parallel to me. I didn't know if it was mimicking me, or if I was mimicking it, but for the duration of the dance, it felt like we were one.

As Zuko and I finished our dance, we took a gander on our either side. All blood drained out of my face as the two dragons glared at us ominously, perching themselves underneath the platform and staring upward. Before we could even take warning, the dragons unleashed their fire at us, creating a twisting tornado spinning furiously upward. At that moment, there was no doubt in my mind that we were judged negatively, and that we were about to die.

But instead of burning us alive, the tornado merely surrounded us, reaching into the sky as a flurry of colours swirled with each other. There was no destruction or anger, but a beautiful blend of colours, each creating harmony within the tornado. None of the colours fought for more space, and each colour worked with others to make this magnificent scene. It reminded me of what the world ought to be like, as each bender, just like each colour, ought to be reaching out to the other benders to make a better world. From this incident alone, I knew that as the Avatar, it was my job to ensure this happened. And from this incident alone, I knew that fire benders, and in association, the Fire Nation, were capable of doing this as well.

The dragons soon flew back into their caves, leaving Zuko and I there. I was overcome with thoughts, so much so that I couldn't even speak. As we slowly descended the stairs, Zuko told me his analysis, which fitted quite well with mine. Just like me, Zuko realized that fire was not about destruction, but a celebration of life. The vision we saw today was what true fire bending was all about, and from now on, I knew both Zuko and I would not be using rage and anger to drive fire bending. There was more to life and fire than uncontrolled rage, and I was very thankful the Sun Warriors allowed us to witness this spectacle.

The Sun Warrior chief approached us again, helping us solve yet another mystery as he explained Iroh was the last outsider to face the dragons. Just like us, the dragons deemed him worthy and showed him the essence of fire bending as well. In gratitude, Iroh lied to the Fire Nation so he could keep the last dragons alive, and in the process gained his title. That was why, for the longest time, Iroh was able to use fire like no one else, even though he rarely, if ever, showed even a hint of anger. He knew about fire equalling life, and used it to his advantage.

That also brought a new revelation to Zuko, as he figured out why he could no longer fire bend after joining us. "Hunting you was my drive," he described, turning to face me, "So when I joined you, I lost sight of my inner fire. But now, I have a new drive," he stated determinedly, "I have to help you defeat my father and restore balance to the world." With that, he shot a fist into the air, letting loose one of the largest fire blasts I had ever seen him create. Unlike the ones he hurled at me in the past, this one was full of energy and life.

Mimicking Zuko, I tried to create my own fire. After I hurt Katara, I had always viewed fire as destructive, capable of only taking life away. But now, knowing fire was life, and that we could do whatever we wanted as long as we had that inner drive, I was no longer afraid. Taking a deep breath, I shot my hands forward, watching excitedly as a jet of flame burst into the air. There was no doubt about it: I could now fully control all four elements.

Bidding farewell to the Sun Warriors, I knew how to approach my problems now. There was still Sozin's Comet to deal with, meaning fire benders would have an advantage. While I would most likely benefit from that as well, given my newfound ability to fire bend, I was going to wait until after the comet left first. There was no way I could take on the Fire Lord with only one day of fire bending experience. Perhaps, once the threat was over, I would be able to face my destiny, and with Zuko's help, truly restored balance to the world.

________________________________________

**Katara's POV**

"Are you alright?" I asked Aang, who was standing outside alone and away from the group. We ended up leaving the Western Air Temple after Azula tracked us there. Zuko and Sokka went to a high-security prison to bust out my father and Suki, and told us that they fought Azula on the way out. Figuring that it was no longer safe, Zuko suggested we flew to Ember Island, where his family still owned a piece of property. Hopefully, we could hide out here until Aang decided to take on the Fire Lord, whenever that might be.

"No, I'm not! I hate this play!" Aang ranted, whipping off his hat and tossing it to the ground. For some strange reason, Sokka decided it would be real funny to take us to see a play based on our journey. We had seen two acts of the play, starting from the day I first broke Aang out of the ice to our defeat in Ba Sing Se. And like Aang, I had to admit that this was the lousiest play I had ever seen. Not only were the actors melodramatic, the facts twisted, and no one had a clue that those portraying us didn't get our accurate sides, it felt like the Fire Nation was magnifying our every defeat, rubbing it into our faces that they were somehow superior. It was quite upsetting, but it still wasn't something to stress over, right?

But for Aang, it wasn't about that. "If I hadn't blocked my charka, I would be in the Avatar State by now!" he ranted, referring to the incident in Ba Sing Se. Aang did go to the guru to master the Avatar State, but somehow didn't complete his training. He was about to enter into the Avatar State when Azula shot him through, blocking his energy and disabling the technique for the entire duration of our trip through the Fire Nation. "Did you really mean what you said in there?" Aang asked, cutting into my thoughts, "On stage, you said I was like a brother to you, and you didn't have feelings for me."

I froze as Aang asked me that question, referring back to a scene in the show. It was the same one where Zuko and I were stuck in Ba Sing Se, and I had a heart-to-heart talk with him about the similarities between us. The actress playing me told the actor playing Zuko that Aang was like my brother, and then the two characters embraced. I tried so hard not to gag at that scene, and I knew Zuko was thinking the same thing. Seriously, had I been in charge of this play, I would have fired the actress playing me. What was with these overly flamboyant speeches about hope and bursting into tears every second scene?

Shaking my head, I tried to reassure Aang that none of that were real, claiming that it was just bad acting and even worse scriptwriting. But somehow, Aang wasn't in the mood to believe anything I said. "We kissed at the invasion, and I thought we were going to be together," Aang continued, his eyes downcast and his tone sombre, "But we're not."

My heart skipped a beat as Aang unleashed the bombshell on me. I hadn't spoken to Aang about that event at the invasion at all, too confused by what happened to give him my judgment. Unlike the play's portrayal of me, I didn't treat Aang like a little brother. From the very first day, I saw something more in this individual than a goofy little kid, even though he always acted like one. I saw an individual who was kind to others, protective of the ones he cared about, and definitely used his ingenuity more for winning battles than to prank people. Sokka and I basically made it our duty to protect him at all costs, and provided physical and emotional support for him whenever possible. So to me, what was in the play was certainly not true.

But was I ready for a relationship with Aang, the way he just claimed to me? I really wasn't sure. I admitted that Aang had grown a lot since the day I freed him from the ice, and I realized that as things went on, his feelings for me might have started to develop. I still couldn't forget the day we kissed in the cave under Omashu, where he said some rather unusual things to me before actually commencing on that. It was a moment that made me so nervous, but for a second, also so comfortable. It was almost like I had always wanted to do that.

And when I became overly angry and bitter with Zuko's appearance in our group, claiming his people killed my mother, Aang was the first to convince me not to seek revenge. Even though I did go on the trip to find my mother's killer, I didn't kill him. I felt so weak, but also so strong. Maybe it was Aang's speech to me about coming to terms and letting go of my past, the same way he did with the Air Nomad Genocide, that made me stop. So perhaps I was returning the feelings too, but just not in the way he expected me to.

"Aang, I don't know," I sighed, glancing out at the ocean. The waves lapping at the sand did little to calm my nerves, which were more mangled than ever before. Part of me wanted to accept that, and make myself a part of his life for good. But at the same time, I knew with the battle against the Fire Lord eminent, I would have to face another situation where I might lose him again. It was something that I shuddered to go through after what happened at the invasion. "This isn't the right time," I insisted, claiming the war should take priority over this talk.

Aang was getting more and more impatient by the second, demanding to know when the right time was. It pained me so much to see him like this, but I just didn't know if I ought to commit to him yet. He was the Avatar, meaning his duty was to the world. Even if we did enter into a relationship, he would still have to serve the world. And in the postwar era, there might still be other dangers, meaning he would have to get into the line of battle quite a few times. So if I ever became a part of his life, I would still have to risk losing him. Was this something I was willing to get myself into, losing the one I loved due to some freak incident happening while he was attending to world affairs? "I'm sorry, but right now, I'm just a little confused," I trailed off.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, trying to gather my thoughts. I couldn't possibly break Aang's heart, after all I had been through with him. Deep down, I knew there was more between us than what was let on. The play was certainly not correct in claiming I felt nothing for Aang, but right now I just didn't know what to think. This was our future we were talking about, and I wasn't ready to just embrace it without knowing there was more I could do for Aang to ensure we would be together. I lost him once in Ba Sing Se, so I didn't want to lose him again.

Suddenly, I felt a set of lips latch onto mine. My eyes shot open as Aang leaned his face straight in, pressing hard against mine. Last time he did that, I wholeheartedly accepted, but this time, I wasn't so sure. Immediately, I backed away, too shocked to say anything. Repeating to him that I was confused, I raced back into the theatre, leaving Aang alone on the porch. It was probably a dumb move on my part, as that would break Aang's heart more. But for the first time in a long time, I had to think about myself first, namely my own heart and head first. I didn't want to commit to something without thinking it through, and for this, I had to think it through.

I didn't really take in any more of this ridiculous play. The actress portraying me had to rub it in my face further during the Day of Black Sun invasion, claiming I loved Aang like a brother or whatever. But the most disturbing part was at the end, when we had to face the Fire Lord one more time. It was the day of the comet, and only Zuko and Aang were shown. Zuko took on Azula who roasted him alive, while the Fire Lord overwhelmed Aang with excessive fire bending. I was shaken and upset by that, as the play truly made us believe that we would lose on that final battle. It was a feeling that I couldn't quite get out of my head.

As we left the theatre dejected and disappointed as such a play, Aang's words and actions kept swirling in my head. There was no doubt that he truly cared about all of us, but there would be no stopping him from reaching his destiny of fighting the Fire Lord. And despite my confused state, I still had a job to do to support him the best I could. I made a mental note to sort out this love issue with Aang after the battle, but for now, we had a bigger job to do.

________________________________________

**Aang's POV**

"This goes against everything I learned from the monks," I explained, pacing nervously in front of my friends. This morning, I found out something horrifying from Zuko, who told us all that if we didn't defeat the Fire Lord before the comet came, there wouldn't be a world to save. Fire Lord Ozai planned to use a fleet of airships to scorch the land from the Fire Nation all the way to Ba Sing Se, using comet-enhanced fire bending to cut down everything in sight. I admitted that I was still shaking even after dinner just thinking about what that would look like.

But Zuko's revelation to me was even more shocking, as he taught me a new technique that required knowing fire bending and water bending. Recalling lightning as the more advanced form of fire bending, he showed me a way to get around that by redirecting it back to the shooter. It was a technique his uncle Iroh picked up from water benders, and adapted it for fire bender use. I still remembered what it was like when Azula shot me through with lightning, and even though Zuko now showed me a technique I could use to defend myself, I still didn't feel good.

"I can't just going around wiping out people I don't like," I continued, refusing to go along with this plan. Everyone on my team had been telling me I had to take the Fire Lord's life before he took mine, but I couldn't just do that, not with what the monks taught me. All life was sacred, and all steps ought to be taken to avoid taking a life. I might be the Avatar, but I was also an Air Nomad. My job after finishing the war was to repopulate the world with air benders, and that included their culture. What leader would I be if I violated the first rule of my people?

Unfortunately, no one understood my condition. Sokka even joked around, claiming as the Avatar, I had the right to do that, and the universe would just forgive me. Usually I would laugh along, but this was downright insensitive. Insulting my people after getting wiped out was one thing, but now another race was about to be exterminated and Sokka wouldn't even care? I couldn't take this anymore. I had to get out of here before this group of morons make me crazier. "When you figure out a way for me to beat the Fire Lord without taking his, I'd love to hear it!" I shouted at the team before storming back to my room.

I didn't come out for the rest of the night, my mind too flustered and too upset to meet with them anymore. I couldn't believe even Katara wouldn't side with me, as she was the one I trusted the most. Back at the theatre a couple nights back, I told her how much I loved her, and that I wanted us to be together for eternity. But she had to respond with how confused she was, and that the war ought to be our top priority, not our feelings for each other. I wouldn't be shocked if she sided with those guys just to get me back for that. But whatever the case, she was right to the extent that the Fire Lord should be the only thing in my mind right now. With so much riding on this, what could I possibly do here?

I lit a few candles and set up a miniature altar, hoping some meditation here would clear my mind. I was soon joined by Momo, who curled up by my feet as I sat stoically, clearing myself of all external thoughts as I breathed deeply. When I was still at the Southern Air Temple, there would usually be some other monks with me as we went through this exercise. Gyatso was one such example, and I always managed to talk things out with him whenever I had problems. But now, I was totally on my own, being forced to do something that I doubted Gyatso would approve of. Why was it that I had to sacrifice my Air Nomad values for the world? Couldn't the two ever be merged? I was the Avatar, but I was also an air bender. Those facts could never change. Why was it I had to give one up in order to be the other?

I soon found myself drifting off the sleep, the entire beach house silent behind me as night descended onto Ember Island. I was too tired to think about more, and just wanted to get some sleep. But somehow, there was this really strange murmuring sound that kept echoing in my head. I couldn't quite put my finger on it, but it replayed itself again and again, making it very difficult to sleep. Before long, I had to pop up from the ground, looking around the area just to locate the source of the sound. Who was mumbling incoherently in the middle of the night?

I glanced out from the balcony to the ocean, its waves lapping against the sand almost like it was beckoning me. I couldn't see what was out there except for a big dark blur, but yet I couldn't stop myself from climbing over the balcony and shuffling towards the sea. There was something about this thing that I couldn't turn down, and I had to see it for myself. I could barely hear Momo scurrying along behind, knowing that he would be the only individual with me the entire time. I doubted it was the right thing to do to run off in the middle of the night, away from my group, on a date so close to my final battle. But I had an irritating day where even the smallest spark could make me explode. So perhaps whatever this thing was could help me out.

I soon waded into the ocean, swimming closer and closer to the object in question. At first glance, it didn't look so big, but now I realized it was huge. Somehow, someway, an island showed up right at the shore, coming out of nowhere and now floated right before me. I didn't know where it came from, nor did I know what was on it, but I was drawn to it nonetheless. It was like the Fire Lord's crazy plan was nothing but a distant memory as I climbed into the thick woods, hoping whatever was in there could ease my mind.

________________________________________

**Momo's POV**

"It's not made of earth," Aang exclaimed. I really had no idea why or how we got onto this weird island in the middle of nowhere. Following around a sleepwalking air bender was no fun, but someone had to keep an eye on Aang before he lost it. In the last battle with the Fire Nation, he was a few plums short of a fruit pie, so why shouldn't someone watch him.

Now Aang was in even more stress. He was in this mysterious island, about to face the Fire Lord again, and had no idea what to do. He meditated for quite a while last night, and I was with him the whole way. I didn't know what would happen next, but if he couldn't figure out a solution, then I doubted he could face the Fire Lord with any success. I wondered if there was anything I could do to help him?

Suddenly, Aang got back into a meditative stance, crossing his legs and placing his hands across his lap. I scurried away, knowing some spiritual being was about to show up. Even though I couldn't see spirits, I could feel their presence. And based on what Aang said to them, I could somewhat judge what the conversation was about. Climbing a tree behind Aang and hoping to find a juicy bug to eat while listening in on Aang, I could tell things were not well.

"Everyone expects me to take the Fire Lord's life, but I just don't know if I can do that," Aang's voice echoed off the trees. Pausing at a high branch, I intently listened to Aang describe his situation. I could see his back was straight and his body wound tight as he struggled for words. Could whoever he was talking to help him?

Before long, the spiritual energy floated away, leaving Aang limp and slouched. Seeing he was in trouble, I quickly flew back down to him. "That was Roku," Aang mumbled to me as I landed on his shoulder, "He told me I had to be decisive. The reason this war started was because he showed too much restraint and couldn't prevent it from starting. He didn't take down Fire Lord Sozin, and now he's hinting at me to take down Fire Lord Ozai." Oh boy, asking Aang to take a life? Wasn't that against his entire belief as an Air Nomad?

Undeterred, Aang returned to a meditative state. I scurried around his body, climbing onto his shoulder as he called, "Avatar Kyoshi, I want your wisdom." Yikes! Avatar Kyoshi? I saw her statue on Kyoshi Island and in the Southern Air Temple, and she seriously freaked me out. She was supposed to have this larger than life personality, and I doubted she was the type to tolerate any nonsense. Why would Aang get advice from her?

I raced off again, hoping Kyoshi couldn't see me if she appeared. I was back into the woods when the spiritual energy returned, this time with Aang saying, "You didn't really kill Chin. Technically he fell to his own doom because he was too stubborn to get out of the way." I knew Aang was talking about the Avatar Day incident, where we visited this village with a crazy mayor who accused Aang of murdering their past leader Chin the Conqueror. Somehow, given what the group said about the incident, I doubted Aang would get what he wanted here.

My fears were soon confirmed when the spiritual energy went away. Aang whipped his head in disgust as I climbed back down. "I knew I shouldn't have asked Kyoshi," he spat. Uh, no duh! What did you expect from someone like that? If Suki wasn't stubborn enough for Sokka and the rest of your team, you think Kyoshi would be any nicer? Given Kyoshi’s mindset, it would not surprise me if Kyoshi told Aang he had to kill the Fire Lord as an act of justice to the world!

Aang was now more stressed out than ever, his hands wrapped around his temples and his eyelids squeezed shut. "I have to look deep inside myself," he barely whispered. Right now, I wasn't sure if there was anyone who could help him. I knew Aang always consulted Roku, and I heard about Kyoshi from the island and at Chin Village. So what other Avatar would be available for Aang to turn to? How far back in history would Aang have to look?

The spiritual energy returned once more, but this time Aang didn't say a single word. I could only look on from the top of a tree as Aang went from hopeful to downcast again. Waiting for things to settle, I slowly edged up to Aang once more. "That was Avatar Kuruk, a water bender," he stuttered, "He told me he lost his wife to Koh the Face Stealer during his lifetime, and blamed himself for not being attentive enough. He might as well say I wasn't attentive enough to the world, and that the only way to rectify the problem is to kill the Fire Lord."

I shuddered at those words, wondering just how on earth Aang would get himself out of this mess. Three Avatars in a row, three suggestions to kill in a row as I leaned up against Aang's knee, pushing my face upward as he ranted, "All these past Avatars, they keep telling me I'm going to have to do it. They don't get it!" I truly felt bad for him, knowing this would go against all Air Nomad philosophy. Wonder what an air bending Avatar would think in this case?

"You're right! Maybe an Air Nomad Avatar would understand where I'm coming from!" Aang exclaimed, his eyes lighting up in the darkness. Uh, what? I didn't exactly say anything, so how did he guess what I was thinking? "I know you can't really talk. Pretending you can just help me think," he continued, getting back into his meditation pose. Um, was it just me, or was Aang losing his mind quicker than ever? "I'm going to pretend that I didn't pretend to hear that," he continued his incoherent rambling. Alright, this was getting scarier by the second!

I sat intently beside Aang as another blast of spiritual energy appeared. "Avatar Yang Chen, the monks always taught me that all life is scared, even the tiniest Spider Fly caught in its own web," Aang explained. So the air bender Avatar before Aang was named Yang Chen? I learned something new today. I also learned that Air Nomads wouldn't even harm the tiniest Spider Fly. Well, not sure if I agree with that, given I usually ate those things. Either way, Aang was entitled to his belief, and I was entitled to my appetite. Now let's hear what happened next.

"I've always been trying to solve my problems by being quick or clever, and I've only had to use violence for necessary defence, and I've certainly never used it to take a life." Well, I wouldn't so sure about that. When I was captured by a Buzzard Wasp in the desert, Aang was pretty violent on that thing. Even though I was certain that Buzzard Wasp survived the air blast, I believed Aang was shooting to kill. Was it smart for him to lie to Yang Chen like that? "The monks taught me to detach myself from the world so my spirit could be free!" Aang added.

And again, Aang and the spiritual energy departed in bitter ways, leaving my friend down and dejected. "I guess I don't have a choice, Momo. I'm going to have to kill the Fire Lord." He told me that Yang Chen agreed that Air Nomad philosophy involved removing oneself from the world, but the Avatar could never do that. The Avatar was part of the world and represented the world, meaning Aang had a duty to protect it at all costs. Oh boy! With even an Air Nomad hinting to Aang that he had to kill Fire Lord Ozai, Aang was in for the long haul now.

What was a pretty sleepless night soon turned to day as Aang pointed out some land in front of us, claiming the hills were getting bigger. I would have thought it was fatigue kicking in for Aang, but somehow I agreed with him. Scaling up the tallest tree together, we held on to the branch and glanced out. Believe it or not, the land wasn't getting bigger, but closer! The whole island was moving by itself! How could this be possible?

We raced down the hillside of this mobile island, with Aang leaping off and diving into the ocean while I perched on a nearby branch, hoping to figure out what was going on. My eyes honed into the water, trying to get any signs of Aang or what was propelling this island. Flying closer to the bottom of the island, I landed just in time to see Aang resurface. "It's amazing, Momo! It's the biggest animal in the world! I've got to swim around and find its face!" What was that? This wasn't an island, but an animal? No wonder Aang couldn't bend here!

I flew after Aang, who swam an entire lap around this moving island. For something as large and heavy as this, this animal was pretty mobile. I could tell Aang was having trouble catching up as he had to pause for air multiple times while I kept peering into the trees, trying to find its face. I was so concentrated on each detail that I didn't even realize the island moving up, nearly shoving me back into the woods. Dodging the trees, I shot towards the direction where the hills were, hoping Aang was around. The sooner we figured this out, the better.

"A Lion Turtle," Aang whispered just as I arrived, giving the large creature a bow. I turned around and saw the animal for the first time. It was humungous, as Aang was barely the size of one of its fingers. It had a dirt-brown face, rough with wrinkles while curls and whiskers came out from its cheeks and chin. "Maybe you can help me. Everyone, even my own past lives, is expecting me to end someone's life. But I don't know if I can do it."

The Lion Turtle suddenly glowed in a strange way, illuminating the area over the rays of the sun. I couldn't hear it speak, except for a deep murmur. I squinted through the green lights given off by the Lion Turtle, only to see it place a hand on Aang, one digit at Aang's forehead while the other at Aang's heart. Just what was going on here?

Then, as quickly as that blinding light came, it disappeared, leaving Aang somewhat muted and quiet. The Lion Turtle quickly took us to the land, telling Aang to wait for the Fire Lord, who was about to come. Of all the crazy things I had gone through, that had to be the craziest one. A sleepwalking air bender, a moving island that turned out to be an ancient animal, and a blinding green flash going through Aang? This was too much!

But still, seeing Aang feel a bit more at ease was rewarding, as my friend bowed to the Lion Turtle again before it swam away. Whatever was about to happen, it was all in Aang's hands now. The Fire Lord would be here, blazing a trail through the Earth Kingdom all the way to Ba Sing Se. As for what Aang had in mind to stop him, I could only wish him the best. He came too far to give up now, and I would love to be here to support him for the rest of the way.

________________________________________

**Aang's POV**

I stood silent as the stones making up this rocky pillar, staring down my opponent on the rocky pillar across from me. Sozin's Comet had illuminated our world into this orange aura, making everything around me looking like it had been lit on fire. Luckily, I stopped the first burst of flames, or else that resemblance might turn out to be reality. Now, in this muggy and heated atmosphere, my true test was about to begin.

"After generations of Fire Lords failed to find you, now the universe delivers you to me as an act of providence," Fire Lord Ozai exclaimed, all the while his airship crashed into the rocks in the background. I managed to disable their engines, causing them to fishtail and sail into the rocks. I made sure the damage wasn't big enough to cause any deaths, as the airship merely balanced onto the rock pillars. With that out of the way, I could put my concentration onto the man before me, a ruthless man who wasn't about to end his quest for world domination.

Taking a deep breath, I tried to reason with him one more time. "Please listen to me," I slowly began, stating out my words in the clearest terms, "we don't have to fight. You have the power to end it here and stop what you're doing." I pointed to the fire damage all around us. Did he realize what madness this was, and how wrong it would be if he continued?

But that quickly backfired on me, as the Fire Lord declared that he had all the power in the world. Just like my vision with the guru when I opened my first chakra, the Fire Lord shot flames out from both hands and his mouth, created an almost star-shape in the air. With that, I knew whatever chance I had left to negotiate with him just went out the door. Striking a fighter stance, I prepared to face the barrage of flames about to head my way.

I began with a large rock block, using air bending to push myself into the air while planting a large piece of stone to my feet. Lifting the rock up and away from its pillar, I twisted around and shot it at the Fire Lord, avoiding his fiery leg sweep while blocking his aerial shot. With that out of the way, I returned a fire kick of my own, meeting the Fire Lord's own fire shot and creating a huge fire dome between us. With things getting more and more intense, there was no way to tell who had the upper hand here.

Thinking back to my time in Omashu, where my old friend Bumi told me to think like a mad genius when I fought the Fire Lord, I tried to use all the elements around me. I matched his fire blasts, all the while using the rocky terrain around to block further shots. I even spotted a waterfall in the distance, and used that water to put out some of the flames as well. As we went off the cliff side, I could see the pillars around me getting shredded by immensely powerful fire. There was no doubt about it, as the Fire Lord was shooting to kill.

"Ugh!" I uttered, losing my concentration at the last possible second. I had Fire Lord Ozai surrounded by rock pillars, only for him to escape and blasted me with fire. I landed hard on my back, the scar tissue from Azula's shot aching through my body as I tried to get up. The heat near me was astronomical, and I could only create an earthen suit to prevent indescribable burning that would take place if I allowed that to get too close. Waiting for the right time, I threw the rocks at the Fire Lord, distracting his shot while I leaped into the air and countered with an air blast. Even though fatigue was starting to set in, I urged myself to carry on.

Then, without warning, lightning sizzled from the Fire Lord's fingers. My heart nearly skipped a beat as I was reminded of what happened the last time I faced lightning. With nowhere to go, I could only form a tornado and whisked myself from pillar to pillar. The hissing and cracking of the electricity was immense, striking down block after block as I tried to get out of the way. They were getting closer and closer, and I had to get level ground before I could turn to face the Fire Lord's attacks. There was a larger pillar with a wider platform nearby, so maybe that was a better option than leapfrogging back and forth?

Apparently, it was a bad idea! I landed just a second too late, and the lightning already arrived. With my body about to be run through again, I could only do what Zuko told me and absorbed it. I wasn't intent on using this move, given how risky Zuko told me it would be. But with my life on the line, I had no choice. Placing a hand up just as the lightning arrived, I allowed it to course through my body. "Argh!" I screamed, the pain reaching unspeakable levels.

But as I prepared to unleash it back at the Fire Lord, my customs as an Air Nomad kicked in again. No matter what anyone said, I couldn't just take a life. Even though I had the power to end it all here, I wouldn't do it. Lifting my hand to the sky, I shot the electricity upward. As all the power surged out of me, I grew weak and limp, dropping onto my knees and threatening to go into unconsciousness. There had to be another way to end this battle.

Before I could even react, a huge wall of fire barrelled down at me. I barely raised a rock wall to defend myself, but it was too weak. I was sent flying into the air, off the pillar, and straight for the water below. I tried my hardest to shake the stars out of my eyes, regaining my coordination just in time to create a water spout below me, softening my impact as I submerged hard into the water. It just created another tremor of pain rippling through my body, leaving me breathless and motionless as the lapping waves carried my body back to the coast.

But the Fire Lord was relentless, driven by comet-enhanced fire bending and his thirst to conquer the Earth Kingdom. Hurtling down at me once more, I felt like nothing more than a ragdoll being tossed around at his mercy. I was forced to flee while this madman chased after me. Could the Ember Island play be true, that the battle occurred too late, and that I would be roasted alive? As my legs collapsed beneath me, I could only create an earthen ball around my body, hoping to block off all possible fire attacks coming my way.

Suddenly, things got hotter and hotter, the fire burning so fiercely that it threatened to seep through the ball. The Fire Lord had to go further by rubbing it in my face, claiming my people were weak, and that his ancestor did the right thing by wiping them out. As I dealt with the barrage of fire and insults, dark thoughts brooded in my head. Was I going to fail my people and the world a third time? Was I just simply too weak to battle the Fire Lord, despite learning all those skills from everyone? Or maybe it wasn't the case that I was too weak, but the fact I clung too stubbornly to Air Nomad ideas, forcing myself not to take his life even though it was the only thing I could do? How come nothing could ever go my way?

Then, without warning, the earth around me shattered, the force of this fire blast so great that I was knocked out of my shell and thrown backwards. My body helplessly flopped against the rocks, before a sharp piercing sensation originating from my scar shot through me. I didn't know what happened, but I could feel this jagged piece ram right against the area where Azula shot me. Katara told me a lot of energy was blocked in there, to the point where my body wasn't getting the flow. But now, for whatever reason, that seemed to have done the trick, as I saw visions of all the past Avatars coursing through me again. Each Avatar had their eyes glowing, and I soon saw that strange statue of me floating in space relight itself. There was no doubt about it, as the Avatar State was back, and was about to take over my body.

Involuntarily, my hand shot out and grabbed the Fire Lord by his beard, brushing aside his next fire attack before sending him back with the biggest air blast I could muster. I broke out of the rocks and soon surrounded myself in a floating sphere of the four elements. I could barely see the Fire Lord in the distance, a frightened expression plastered onto his face as he used fire blasts from his feet to jet away. The chase after him was on!

It was like I was no longer in control of myself when I blindly pursued the Fire Lord. A combination of elements shot from my sphere at the Fire Lord, destroying everything in the way. I had seen my past destruction in the Avatar State before, with the incidents at the Southern Air Temple, the Earth Kingdom army base, and in the desert, but none of those were as intense as this. It was like I was on a violent rampage, letting the elements do the work. I threw Fire Lord Ozai about, battering and bruising him nonstop. At the expense of the rock pillars around me, I crashed through the closest formation, barely missing the Fire Lord as I tried to slam him into the ground. Even though I had no control of what was going on, I shuddered to think what would happen if I truly caught up to him. It was something I didn't dare to think about.

Oops, too late, as I reached out with a water tendril and wrapped it around the Fire Lord's body. The Fire Lord was thrown through the air before being slammed onto the platform of a larger, higher pillar. Hovering above him, I trapped his limbs with rocks and floated above his body. His face was filled with fright as his chest heaved up and down, dreading the inevitable. "Fire Lord Ozai, you and your forefathers have devastated the balance of this world. And now, you shall pay the ultimate price," I snarled, ready to do the unthinkable.

Wait, the unthinkable? I wasn't really about to kill him, was I? As my hand whipped around, create a spiralling spear of the four elements combined, I reached deep into my Avatar State, hoping to pull myself back out. Mad scramble or not, what I did earlier wasn't right, and there was no way I could call myself an Air Nomad after all the destruction I did. Even though I couldn't undo the damage from earlier, I could still redeem myself. If I could just get through my Avatar State, maybe I could still spare the Fire Lord...

I felt my entire body go limp as I reached into my mind just in time, releasing the elements so that they harmlessly landed on the Fire Lord. It gave him a drenching, but nothing more. My sphere slowly landed onto the ground while I hung my head in shame. I released Fire Lord Ozai from the shackles, deeply remorseful of what I did. "I'm not going to end it like this," I stammered, tears threatening to spill out my eyes. Roku spared Sozin in the past, and that led to a disaster. But if Fire Lord Ozai could learn his lesson and repented, maybe all would be well?

But that was nothing more than my ever-persistent naivety talking, as the Fire Lord was still intent on exterminating me. Luckily, Toph's technique of feeling for movements through the earth paid off. Even though my back was to him, I picked up sensations from the pillar that the Fire Lord was on the move. Kicking up a rock column, I stopped his right-handed fire blast before it reached me. I tiptoed around his left-handed blast to create another rock column, trapping both his hands. There was no compromise left, as I had to do the one thing I feared to do. No, I wasn't going to kill him, but I was going to do what that Lion Turtle showed me when Momo and I were stranded on it. I heard the Lion Turtle tell me that in the past, bending didn't involve the elements, but the energy within ourselves. Before long, the Lion Turtle placed a paw with one finger on my heart and another on my forehead, giving me a new technique.

Taking a deep breath, I mimicked the Lion Turtle's technique, focusing on the energy inside the Fire Lord as I proceeded. I must first feel for the energy within the Fire Lord, finding the source of his fire bending before trying to pull it out. I could feel it swirl within him, a large dose of fiery energy churning around as I struggled to maintain control. The Lion Turtle told me that to bend another's energy, my own spirit must be unbendable, or I would be dead on the spot. Slowly lifting my head, I felt the energy shoot out my eyes and mouth, creating a set of blue lights while the same happened with the Fire Lord, except his was orange. The energy coming out from him was enormous, a sign of his great skill in fire bending. This was going to be hard.

I could feel him overwhelming me, his energy pushing into mine and threatening to crush my spirit. I could feel a squeezing sensation as the weight of the energy nearly collapsed into me, slamming my spirit down and shaking me to the core. I couldn't possibly give up now, not with the entire world counting on this. I might be destroyed in the process, but if this worked, then the ending would be one that everyone could accept.

Then, in what I thought would be my last breath, a final blast of energy emerged from me, this time overwhelming that of the Fire Lord's. I saw images of every individual that meant so much to me flash through my head: Gyatso, Katara, Sokka, Suki, Toph, Zuko, Appa, Momo, and even those who I had few chances interacting with, like Bumi. I had to do this for them, so that they could live a better life in this world. With the thoughts of all these people supporting me, I willed myself forward, pushing myself to the limits to finish this final task.

The entire sky brightened in a huge flash, smothering the comet's own orange aura as I feel the energy leave our world. By the time I finished, I could barely stand, my legs turning into jelly as I staggered a couple of steps. The task was done, and I knew for better or for worse, the threat was gone. Regaining my balance and vision, I stared down at the Fire Lord, who flailed his arms helplessly as he demanded what just happened. "I took away your fire bending," I replied, "You can't use it to hurt or threaten anyone else ever again."

I turned to the ocean, watching the waves lap the shores once more. There was still a fire to put out in the forest below, and I knew just the technique to do that. With the Avatar State fully functional, I activated it and focused hard on my water bending. Pulling the water up the shoreline, I made sure each burning area was smothered, putting out all the flames. It would take a while before the forest would regenerate itself, but like I showed Hei Bai with the acorn, everything could grow back. Hopefully, with time, the forest wouldn't be the only thing to go back to the way it was before. I still had a world to bring together, and there was a lot more rebuilding to do in the Earth Kingdom. But for now, I was happy that I won the day.

________________________________________

**Aang's POV**

I was completely silent as I waited just steps from the front courtyard of the Fire Nation palace, dressed in my Air Nomad robes and wearing the same pendant that I made for Gyatso all those years ago. It was a few days since I defeated Fire Lord Ozai by stripping his bending, and today a new Fire Lord was about to take over. I hadn't spoken much to anyone since my defeat of Ozai, my mind still too overwhelmed by what happened. I was just happy that I managed to escape unscathed after that battle, and that most of my friends were still in good shape. I heard Zuko nearly got run through by Azula's lightning after she aimed at Katara, and he tried to protect her by redirecting it. Unfortunately, he didn't do so completely, leading to some severe burning on his body. Well, at least we could say we had matching scars!

Speaking of Zuko, here he was, dressed in his royal robes. He was now reinstated into the Fire Nation ruling family, but his role was going to be really different. "I can't believe a year ago, my purpose in life was hunting you down," he commented, bringing me back to the days when we were on opposite sides. I told him before that I thought we were capable of becoming friends, and right now it seemed like that prediction was coming true.

"I can't believe a year ago I was still frozen in a block of ice," I replied, "The world's so different now." Katara's words back on the Day of Black Sun returned to me as she told me how much she saw me grow. I was a goofy kid who wanted to ride penguins and sea serpents then, but today I was a fully-realized Avatar set to reunite the peoples of the world. I had only a few chances to speak to her, given my duties to help the Fire Nation pull back its troops. But for what it's worth, I was going to reach out to her again, thanking her for all that she did.

"And it's going to be even more different," Zuko stated, "We'll rebuild it together." With that, he pulled me into a hug, which I wholeheartedly returned. Together, we marched out to the courtyard to the sound of a gong, watching the cheering crowd as Zuko insisted that I was the true hero of the day. I never expected myself to be in this position, being given this wonderful opportunity to see all people come together, and I wouldn't miss it for anything.

To even louder cheers, Zuko declared that the war was over. "The road ahead of us is challenging. A hundred years of fighting has left the world scarred and divided. But with the Avatar's help, we can get it back on the right path, and begin a new era of love, peace, and hope." With that, Zuko got onto his knees, allowing the head Fire Sage to place the royal headpiece into his hair. From this moment on, he was now Fire Lord Zuko.

I had to wait a few more days before our team's reunion, to be held at the Jasmine Dragon in Ba Sing Se. General Iroh and his team, the Order of the White Lotus, managed to take back the city in the name of the Earth Kingdom. Apparently, many individuals I had met along the way were part of this group, including Jeong Jeong, Pakku, Sokka's swords teacher Piandao, and my old friend Bumi. I got a kick out of hearing him tell me that he stacked the Fire Nation tanks up after blocking their shots. Even in the fiercest battle, Bumi was still sharp as a tack.

And right now, the only sounds that could be heard were the notes coming out of Iroh's horn as he played a song for us at his re-conquered tea shop. Zuko's girlfriend Mai, who used to be on Azula's side, was playing Pai Sho with Suki. Apparently, when Zuko went with Sokka on that fishing trip, it was actually to break Sokka's father out of prison. They added Suki to the list of prisoners pulled out, and it was with Mai's help that they left unscathed. Now, from what Zuko told me, he and Mai had patched things up since his defection from the Fire Nation, and they were now a loving couple. Suki had a new addition to her Kyoshi Warriors too, as Ty Lee, Mai's acrobatic friend, was allowed to join her team. Ty Lee didn't join us on this party, as she wanted to bond further with her future teammates, hence they already left for the island.

"Zuko, stop moving!" Sokka snapped from his table in the far end. My water tribe friend met up with Piandao after the battle and promised his master he would continue to advance the ways of the sword. Part of that was to be observational and used his skills whenever possible, even if it meant doing something like painting. Right now, he was supposedly painting a picture of us so we could all remember the good times we had together. Zuko's movement was a result of the Fire Lord serving us some of his uncle's tea, and that touched a nerve with Sokka.

As for Zuko, he was here in Ba Sing Se for a very special reason. In the upcoming days, he was to have the first bilateral meeting between the Earth King and the Fire Lord in nearly a century. After the battle was over at Ba Sing Se, the former Earth King Kuei, the man with the bear, returned to the capital a changed individual. After seeing the world and understanding the commoners, he gained a new appreciation of what it meant to rule, and promised to meet with Zuko for peace talks. While I wasn't asked to attend with them, Zuko did mention that he would appreciate having me nearby, just to lend them both support. They were both new rulers with new ideas, and would love to have me give input into that.

Before long, everyone took shots at Sokka's drawings, claiming he didn't draw their likeness in. Even Toph took a dig at Sokka, claiming she thought everyone looked great. While Toph still hadn't really reconciled with her parents, she said she would consider going back to them in the near future, hoping they would understand her lifestyle choices. I didn't pretend to know what was going on inside her parents' minds, but I realized I couldn't control that. It was up to her to face her past, just like I had to face mine. If things worked out for me, then maybe they could work out for her, whenever she chose to go back.

As everyone laughed at Sokka's artwork, I slowly stepped out of the teashop. I let the cool air of this summer evening whisk by me as I approached the front balcony, leaning against the rails and watching the setting sun. This was what it was all about, that sense of kinship and friendship that I couldn't get anywhere else. It was true that I was the Avatar, and that I had a duty to the world. But it was also true that the Avatar had to be part of the world, and that meant interacting with the people of the world. All these wonderful individuals, they all became a part of my life, and showed me experiences that I would cherish forever.

Soft footsteps caused me to turn my head, seeing the beautiful figure of Katara march up to me. Last time we were alone, there was an unfortunate incident where I tried to show my love for her, leading her to become more confused and ran off. I really wanted to make up for that error, but Katara apparently put that behind her. Seeing the look in her eyes, I knew whatever confusion she had was no longer there. In the few times I managed to speak to my friends between the final battle and today, I recalled Katara telling me that she was, once again, very proud of me. But for her, this was also a step forward in our relationship. We were friends, but we were also something more. And that was when I knew of her choice for her future.

We quickly embraced before turning to face each other, getting a look at each other's faces amidst the setting sun. I was the one who originally told her to let go of fear, and she was the one who kept me grounded when I ran amok. It was ironically opposite, but also totally appropriate as we realized we were truly meant to be. I was more than happy to spend the rest of my life with her, and I knew she felt the same. With that, we leaned our faces in, with no hesitation or confusion whatsoever as our lips attached themselves onto each other. This was our love, and this was our lives. I would take my duties as the Avatar with honour and courage, and I knew Katara would be there to support me the whole way. As I prepared to enter the next stage of my life, I could only think of one thing...

My name is Aang. That was my story. Those were my rites of passage.


	33. Bonus: Hei Bai

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Each character grows up with a set of experiences unique to themselves. Watch each person describe what went through their minds and how they changed as they reacted to the world. These are their stories, these are their rites of passage.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: Michael DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko own Avatar.

The village was right in my sights, with more despicable people to hunt down as I lumbered my way across these woods. In the last little while, the forests in this area had been subject to some serious damage, all thanks to members in the human world. To teach these nasty people a lesson, I was going to take one individual from their world into mine, keeping them prisoner until they decided to take actual action to stop what was going on. After all, I was the guardian spirit of the forests, so why wouldn't I do such a thing?

Who was this? There was this bald kid with arrows on his head and hands ordering me to turn back? First of all, I'm a spirit, and that meant I was immortal. No mortal being in this world ought to be telling me what to do. Second, it was these mortals who picked a fight with the spirits when they took liberties with my forests, so who were they to ask me to leave? Ignoring the imbecile, I marched into the village, ready to find my next prisoner. The crazy kid was still sauntering back, pretending he didn't have a care in the world. If he was in charge of the forests, and he saw his area of supervision being destroyed, he wouldn't be singing the same tune.

Finally, the clueless one decided to turn around to face me. "Oh, you must be the Hei Bai spirit. My name is..." Uh, stop. I didn't want an introduction from you or your forest destroyers. If by flashing that goofy smile and pretending you were friends with everyone was your way of telling me everything was alright, then you were sadly mistaken. Blasting him in the face with my sonic roar attack, I raced past him and headed straight for the first building. What do these humans think they were doing with these houses anyway? They couldn't even stand properly, as I levelled them with just one push. Why were these creatures so incredibly outdated?

It didn't matter though, as that just made my job easier. The sooner I trashed their homes, the quicker I could take them all prisoner. After all, no humans meant no more destruction, and that would me my forests were back at peace. As I pounded another house into the dirt, there was nothing that could stand in my way.

"I command you to turn around now!" the boy yelled at me. What? He commanded me to turn around? Let's get one thing straight here, I was immortal and he wasn't. I was doing my job to keep the forests safe while he was acting like a lunatic. I was doing the right thing while his kind kept trashing the place. What gave him the right to bark orders at me? He wanted me to turn? Well, he got it, as I whipped around and nailed him with a left back-swing. If you didn't want to get hurt, then you'd better stay out of my way.

"Hei Bai, over here!" another voice shouted. Before long, I felt something poking my rear end, giving me a slight pinch and causing me to turn my attention elsewhere. I saw this taller boy dressed in blue come out to greet the bald one, who I thought I had gotten rid of earlier. Well, if this taller kid thought he could ambush me, then he got another thing coming. Little did he know that I could teleport short distances, and that meant I had the perfect chance to strike.

I disappeared from view while the two were distracted via their talk with each other on how to deal with me. Believe me, there was no way to deal with me, not until you dealt with this forest first. Materializing behind the blue boy, I snatched him with one of my shorter limbs and raced off into the night. In my battle form, I had six limbs, four for running while two smaller ones located before my front legs for smashing and grabbing things. Since wise guy here decided to fight me, I was more than willing to see how much strength he had in him. With him tightly in my grasp, I hustled back to the entry point between this world and the Spirit World.

Well, looked like Baldy knew more than just running around pretending to be in charge, as he somehow found a glider and was following us. "Aang, over here! Help!" the one in my hands yelled. So the bald kid's name was Aang? Normally I didn't inquire over what my prisoners were named, but at least I could recognize one individual should I come back again. As for Mr. Smartypants here, I had the perfect punishment for him once I got back into the Spirit World. Seeing the statue of me closing in, I made the spiritual connection and left this world.

I returned to my realm in the Spirit World and placed the mouthy guy with the rest of my prisoners. It had been a while since the forest was burned, but it didn't make me feel better. Someone from the Spirit World ought to teach these humans a lesson in messing with the balance of the world. For eternity, the spirits watched over the human world, making sure every action was in line with the balance. Now, a war had been waged and nature was no longer being respected the way it was before. In the past, humans lived harmoniously with nature, taking only what they required and nothing more. Now, with things getting crazily out of hand, it was only time before these beings destroyed the very world that was their home.

At the same time, I figured that while what I did was drastic, I realized all other beings in the Spirit World would agree with my move. As the guardians of our world, it was our job to ensure that balance remained, even if it meant punishing the mortals. No spirit would say they fulfilled their duties if they couldn't do their job, and right now I had a job to do. Stashing the crazy teen in blue with the rest of the villagers, I made sure he wouldn't be going anywhere soon. If he beaked off any more, I wouldn't even let him urinate! Try talking back at me now!

________________________________________

I blasted through the ground into the village the very next night, ready to pick out another person to join my prisoners. As expected, the humans still hadn't done anything about that scorched piece of land at the forests. Burnt trees, broken stumps, and an otherwise unusable landscape decorated the hillside, and it wouldn't be long before they tore up this patch of the woods in front of their village as well. When would these pathetic creatures ever learn?

And to no one's surprise, Baldy was still here, standing in front of the largest house in the town and acting all superior. What, no witty banter this time? No more blowing air around and acting like a goofball? Well then, I guessed that just gave me more chances to go grab more villagers. With such a big house in front of me, there were bound to be loads of people inside. Anyone of them would make a fine prisoner for me. Heck, I might as well take everyone inside, just to get rid of them all. No humans, no more damage to the forests. Seemed easy to me!

But then, right before I could blast the house open, the kid known as Aang jumped over me and placed a hand on my head. Strangely enough, there was spiritual energy through him, making me pause for a second. There was only one human who could possess that much spiritual energy, and that was the Avatar, known as the bridge between the two worlds. If this were true, then I was in the shock of my life. I had never seen an Avatar that young before, let alone one that was this goofy. I heard from the other spirits in the Spirit World that the Avatar had been lost for a hundred years, and now here he was? Did he really know what he was doing?

"Now I understand," Aang addressed me sympathetically, "You're upset and angry because your home was burnt down. When I saw the forest was burnt, I was sad and upset, but my friend gave me hope that the forest would grow back." With that, he pulled out an acorn from inside his clothes and lifted it to my face. It was quite an awkward exchange to say the least.

Nonetheless, I picked up the small acorn, thinking carefully about his words. It was true that something this small could grow back, but could it cover the entire forest? It would take an awfully long time to replenish the area with trees, certainly not within the lifetimes of most of these villagers. And with the war still going on, I wasn't sure if this was the best way to go about things. With so much destruction, could humans still be trusted with restoring nature?

But still, it was a chance I had to take, as humans were part of the world that we lived in. Whether the spirits accepted human's ways or not, they were a part of us, just like how we were a part of them. To deny them this opportunity to fix their mistakes would be like to deny them the opportunity to live in the world. Things would always change, for better or for worse, and it was up to the spirits to ensure things didn't go the way of destruction. Other than that, it wasn't our job to regulate what the people did with their lives. As long as there was responsible and non-destructive use of the forests, there wasn't more I could do.

Accepting Aang's offer, I turned back into my normal form and left the village. My regular form was what was known as a panda bear, which was a creature that didn't really exist in this world. There was a species similar to me somewhere in the Earth Kingdom known as a bear, but those were purely brown while I was black and white. Turning around, I lumbered my way out the front gates, leaving the village for good. I would have to find the strength to forgive the humans for this destruction, and gave them at least another chance to fix their mistakes. And if it meant anything, I would continue to help the Avatar in ending the war. He was bound to visit the Spirit World soon, right? When that time came, I would be there to help him.

I made a small bamboo forest sprout at the gate of the village, all the while reopening the portal to the Spirit World to let the villagers I captured out, Mr. Blabbermouth included. Maybe I was overdoing it when I didn't allow him to use the bathroom, as that crazy guy quickly scurried off into the houses. Whatever the case, I learned a lesson today. Even though humans might lose their way in life, they were capable of good, as shown by the Avatar. Now, the one thing I had to do was to convince the other spirits to continue helping the Avatar as best as we could. It wouldn't be easy, as each spirit might be convinced their way was better. The one I had to watch out for was Koh the Face Stealer, who supposedly had some history with past Avatars. But if all spirits could work together, then even we could play a part in making the world a better place.

________________________________________

I slowly lifted an eyelid as Avatar Roku appeared before me. Rarely did the past Avatars come into my realm, although it wasn't unusual. Most were just passing by, rarely stopping at all. That was fine by me, as that left me with all this time to eat and sleep. But today, I could tell Roku was in here for a reason, and it most likely wasn't a good thing.

"I would like your assistance, Hei Bai," he addressed me, he voice strong and steady, but a slightly worried expression on his face. "My successor Aang is currently in the Spirit World, and I would like you to help me bring him back out once he's finished with Koh."

I immediately lifted myself off the ground, my entire body tensing as that name was mentioned. I knew of Koh, but I never imagined the current Avatar would approach that spirit. Koh was the most sadistic, amoral, and uncompromising spirit in this realm, knowing to steal people's faces all because they showed any emotion before him. An Avatar before Aang, Kuruk of the water tribe, had the face of his wife stolen because Koh believed Kuruk wasn't fulfilling his Avatar duties. It still scared me how anyone could resort to those tactics.

But nonetheless, Roku insisted that I kept an eye out for Aang, which I figured was the right thing to do. Aang was still young, and had quite a long career ahead of him as the Avatar. The whole world's balance was in his hands, with the Fire Nation on the attack right now. We the spirits had to do whatever it took to ensure Aang succeeded, even if it meant protecting Aang from one of our own. Heeding to Roku's instructions, I slowly made my way into Koh's realm.

As I journeyed through the marshes and swamps of Koh's area, a flurry of thoughts went through my head. For someone as young and inexperienced as Aang, he sure went through a lot. If being stuck in a block of ice for a century wasn't bad enough, how would he take the fact that his people were completely wiped out? I knew this really didn't apply to us spirits, as we were immortal and a century would seem like a minute to us. But for someone like Aang, I couldn't even begin to imagine the pain he went through.

But at the same time, spirits and humans ought to work together more, because this was the only way to bring peace to the world. Aang taught me a lesson last time we met, showing me that destroyed forests could indeed grow back. It might take a long time, past the lifetime of this Avatar, and quite possibly the next one, but it was possible. Right now what we had to do was made sure Aang got what he sought in the Spirit World, and to take him back to his world.

I caught out with Aang just as he exited Koh's cave. Just approaching the area gave me the chills. Aang was either the bravest kid I knew, or the dumbest one, having the guts to challenge Koh like that. But still, with his smiling face resonating through this dark and damp area, it really brought some warmth and friendliness around this place. Besides, his smile meant Koh didn't steal his face, which was always a good thing.

Aang climbed onto my back as I hurried back to the portal in which he came from. "The spirits are in trouble," Aang told me as I lumbered along. For a large panda, I actually did have some speed in me, although I didn't use it very often. Guys like me preferred a slower pace in life, just lounging around and eating bamboo, rather than raced across the Spirit World. "The Ocean and Moon Spirits supposedly gave up their immortality a long time ago, taking the shapes of mortal beings in the Northern Water Tribe," Aang continued, "If the Fire Nation got to the oasis, they would be doomed." Hearing that, I couldn't help but quicken the pace.

At the same time, I thought about some of the stories on these two mysterious spirits. I never really knew too much about them until I met up with Aang, but I did recall that there were spirits who would transcend boundaries and into the other place. But to give up immortality was really something different, as that was a sacrifice that I doubted most spirits were willing to make. Would anyone in this world be willing to do that just to live among humans?

Then again, part of the job of the spirits was to teach mankind, educating them on the values that truly counted. While it wasn't our job to regulate what they did or controlled them with an iron fist, the spirits were supposed to give advice to humans, pushing them along the right path when they went astray. The only thing that was out of bounds for us spirits was free will, as all individuals were free to choose how to live their lives, provided they did not interfere or harm another's right to choose. So for the Ocean and Moon Spirits to go that far, just to show mankind kindness and humility, it was truly a grand gesture.

Finally, I returned Aang to where he came from, letting him hop off of me and onto the platform. "How do I get back?" Aang asked, looking around for a clue. I knew the Avatar could travel here under heavy spiritual influence, such as meditating at the Spirit Oasis that Aang mentioned earlier. But here, with a spirit in front of him, there was no need.

Rearing onto my hind legs, I shot a thin beam out of my mouth. It went straight into Aang's body and lit him up from within, shining so brightly until I could no longer see him. Before long, he disappeared from the Spirit World, going back to his own and fusing back into his own body. The Ocean and Moon Spirits were in his hands now, and I sure hoped he would make it back in time to prevent the Fire Nation from damaging them.

"Good riddance," a voice next to me sounded off. I turned around to see Enma, the monkey spirit, cast a condescending eye at the platform. It wouldn't surprise me that Aang tried to ask him for help, only for this arrogant monkey to brush him off. Meditating might be what he was good at, but he sure failed when it came to social skills. And one thing I absolutely could not stand was disrespectful people like him, especially to someone doing as much as Aang.

Turning into my powerful monster form, I stalked up to Enma and bared my teeth at him. You wanted to get snarky at people? Let's see how snarky you could get with a sonic blast right up your face! Opening my mouth, I nailed him with a sonic roar, sending him straight into the water and drenching his robes. Have fun meditating now, you goof! I turned back into my regular panda form, admiring my work as Enma tried to peel himself off the sticky marshes.

Realizing my work was done here, I headed back to my realm. I didn't know when I would see Aang next, but I had a feeling he might frequent this place a lot more. If he ever wanted my help, I would be more than willing to offer myself. But until then, I wanted a meal first. All that running and hustling really worked up my appetite, and I hadn't had anything to eat since Roku woke me up. Now where was my crunchy bamboo?

________________________________________

"Hei Bai!" A young voice called from the forests just as I was about to finish my stick of bamboo. The Spirit World really got shook up recently when we found out that the Avatar could no longer go into the Avatar State. The Fire Nation really struck hard as Aang was supposedly unconscious in the real world, all the while his spirit was here. I hadn't seen him around yet, but knowing Aang, I knew he would show up soon.

And there he was, bounding up to me and giving me a big hug. "Roku told me I'd find you here," he exclaimed, snuggling his face in my fur. Well, even though his body was probably in pretty bad shape outside, he seemed pretty healthy to me right now. Maybe it was because his spirit was never wounded? Whatever the case, let's see what I could do for him.

"I don't suppose you've seen Avatar Kyoshi around, have you?" Aang asked. That was a really good question, because I usually didn't keep track of where the past Avatars went once they got into the Spirit World. Besides, why would Aang want to find Avatar Kyoshi? Wasn't Roku's advice enough for him to deal with?

Nonetheless, I allowed Aang to climb onto my back as we treaded out of my bamboo forest. Being the guardian spirit for forests, I usually stayed within the bamboo and rarely went anywhere else. Last time Aang was here, I had to go to Koh's realm to help him, which was quite a nasty experience considering how swampy and sticky it was. Hopefully Kyoshi was nearby and I didn't have to go anywhere too far. "There she is!" Aang suddenly shouted.

I lifted my head just in time to see the giant of a woman standing before us. Screeching to a halt, I let Aang jump off my back and greeted Kyoshi. Apparently, Aang got into some incident in the real world where Kyoshi kind of left him for dead, claiming she killed a warlord and the village where that warlord came from tried to hold Aang accountable for it. That issue led to a series of unfortunate events that Aang had to fix. Oh well, all's well that ends well, right?

Then Kyoshi told her story to Aang, claiming she had other priorities after defeating Chin the Conqueror. "I accomplished a lot of good, but I also made some mistakes," she began, taking Aang back to her era, "One of my greatest challenges was dealing with a peasant uprising in Ba Sing Se. The peasants felt that the Earth King's role was outdated and he did not represent their interests. So they stormed the Upper Ring, and destroyed priceless artefacts and buildings that represented the old government." I paused just as she finished that sentence. There was some type of rebellion in Ba Sing Se back then? Now that was news to me!

"The Earth King summoned me to end the revolution," Kyoshi continued, "He wanted me to do whatever it took, including hurting the peasants, but I wouldn't do it. The Earth King then sent his guards after me, and I was forced to retaliate on them." Well, this couldn't be good. With Kyoshi's strength, what did the Earth King think he could do? Seriously, why were humans so incredibly stubborn? This Earth King seemed no different than the current Fire Lord right now.

"Finally, I forced the Earth King to make a compromise," Kyoshi stated, looking down at Aang who stood intently watching and listening, "I told him that everyone in the kingdom must have a voice if balance was to prevail over tyranny. I proposed to protect his interests as long as the peasants' grievances were heard, and changes were made within government to better reflect their wishes. Luckily, he agreed, and I set off to train an elite force of earth benders who would be silent, precise, and feared by all. They became known as the Dai Li."

Say what? The Dai Li? Weren't they the same group that just overthrew the Earth Kingdom with the Fire Nation princess? What was Kysohi thinking? "They're the worst, most corrupt earth benders in the world!" Aang yelled, shocked and angry at Kyoshi. Given what they did to Aang, I wasn't surprised at his response. What was going on here?

Kyoshi sighed. Even though her face was usually covered with make-up, I could tell she had a significant amount of sadness as she described what happened next. "I thought I was doing the right thing by creating a group that protected cultural history. I had no idea what they would become." Well, like that's a surprise. Given how Kyoshi wasn't in charge of changing things within the palace, the Earth King and his bureaucratic cronies could do whatever they wanted. Why would they have to care about what the people wanted?

I lifted my head to Kyoshi again, just in time to hear her conclude. "Aang, our actions always have an effect. Sometimes positive, sometimes negative, and sometimes for not many lifetimes," she stated. Well, I could kind of see where she came from. Once she passed on, it was Roku's turn to be the Avatar. Since successive Earth Kings might not be as willing to keep their word to Kyoshi, they might just overturn her decisions regarding openness and transparency in the Earth Kingdom. And if they were able to incorporate the Dai Li as a government agency, then they truly had control over everything. Kyoshi's legacy just went up in smoke.

With that, Kyoshi lifted Aang back onto my back, asking him to find the water bending Avatar before her. "His name is Avatar Kuurk," she informed Aang before disappearing into thin air. With that, I was left to journey with my friend once more, but also got some time to think about what Kyoshi had said. Being an immortal spirit, I had the advantage of seeing what the world looked like from the safety of my bamboo forest, and I didn't have to worry about any mistakes made. Whatever I did, I could fix myself, no matter how long it took.

But for Kyoshi and other humans, they didn't have that advantage. Once they passed on, they could no longer go back. It was up to the next Avatar to deal with the world, and it wasn't always the case that they would be well-received. Kyoshi did all she could to help the Earth King, and it was the Earth King and his descendants that blew a great opportunity to fix their kingdom. While it sounded cruel for me to say it, but they truly made their own beds, and now they had to sleep in them, given what the Dai Li had done. Hopefully, Aang could get better soon, and would have what it took to fix both the Fire Nation and the Earth Kingdom.

________________________________________

"We're in the realm of Koh, Hei Bai," Aang whispered to me as that humid, swampy feeling returned. I really didn't know where Kuruk would be, since he was all over the place as well. But knowing that Kuruk was the one who had bad blood with Koh, I figured he might still stalk around this area, waiting for the right time to strike Koh. "We better be careful..."

"Kyyyaaaaa..." I froze dead on my tracks, barely avoiding running into a screaming figure that leaped in front of us brandishing a spear. He was dressed in blue while wearing animal skin on his head. Unfortunately, Aang wasn't so lucky, as he was thrown off my back and into the disgusting muck. Aang, meet Avatar Kuruk, Avatar Kyoshi's predecessor.

"Relax, kid, I'm not going to hurt you," Kuruk stated, lifted Aang back to his feet. I tried so hard not to laugh at the water bender's ridiculous entrance. Kuruk was a different Avatar than Kyoshi, at least based on the story he was telling Aang. "Have you seen a beautiful woman with long, brown hair around here? She's my wife," he described, "When I was a young Avatar, I traveled the world, challenging other benders to tests of strength." He went on to talk about the tests, some of which were downright ridiculous. Seriously, who would challenge a fire bender to an Agni Kai while they were shopping for groceries? Didn't Kuruk have better things to do?

"I loved impressing girls with my bending prowess. I was arrogant, proud, and boastful," Kuruk continued. If pandas could roll their eyes, I would have done so already. Being the Avatar was not an easy task, and yet here he acted like he was entitled to the role. If Aang was immature when I first met him, then Kuruk truly took the cake, and the sad part was that he was an adult already! But then again, I guessed when things were peaceful and prosperous, and the four nations were still somewhat cooperative with one another, then it might be fine to let them settle their own differences. Still, that type of attitude really wasn't my stick of bamboo.

Turning back to Kuruk, I listened on intently as he described what happened next. "I never thought about settling down until I met the love of my life. We met during the New Moon celebrations, when the sister tribes would come together as one." I recalled some detail on this, something about the two water tribes getting together for a huge party. Hearing this, I didn't know what I was more surprised at: Kuruk falling in love, or Kuruk not falling down drunk and making a fool out of himself in this celebration. "Her name was Ummi, and she was from the Southern Water Tribe. She was the most beautiful woman I had ever seen."

Kuruk's tone suddenly went from excitable to sombre as he described how he changed his irresponsible ways and settled down after meeting Ummi. "We were to be married in the Spirit Oasis," Kuruk explained, referring back to the home of the Ocean and Moon Spirits, "But on the day of our wedding, tragedy struck. Ummi fell into the spirit pond, as if some unseen force pulled her in. She was gone, but she didn't drown. Rather, she disappeared into the Spirit World. Koh took her to punish me for my past mistakes." No surprise there, given Koh's cruel and sadistic nature. That guy didn't care for morals, and would do whatever it took.

"Every year, on the anniversary of our wedding, I traveled to the Spirit World, hoping to save my wife from Koh. But I failed," he concluded, dipping his head in shame. Hey, no sweat. I had been here for eternity, and I hadn't had any luck finding a faceless woman walking around anyway. Besides, even though I didn't agree with Koh's choice, I saw some good out of this. At least Kuruk now had to take his duties seriously and served the people of the world, rather than acting like a goofball all the time. Maybe now that he was here, we could help him look for her?

Suddenly, Aang recalled seeing someone similar here. "Koh still has her," he declared, "When I was in Koh's lair, he showed me Ummi's face!" Oh, so maybe all was not lost then! If Kuruk could get into Koh's lair, he still had a chance to save his wife...

And before I could even move, Kuruk took off, heading back into Koh's realm. "Avatar Yang Chen is waiting for you," he called as he disappeared into the mist again. Well, I guessed that meant we had to be on the move again. You coming, Aang?

Aang boarded my back as we headed for the mountains, where Yang Chen would most likely be located, given her nature as an air bender. I was very happy to hear that Kuruk would find his wife again, but also found that Kuruk had the inherent flaw of human nature: acting too quickly on one's own goals and not paying enough attention to the other responsibilities in life. It was unfortunate that the spirits had to resort to taking his wife just to teach him this lesson, but sometimes that was the way life went. We all wanted to learn things to painless way, but in this case, it had to be through a painful way. Hopefully the cruelty didn't have to continue in the future, with the world entering a new age if Aang could finish the job.

________________________________________

"Hello, Avatar Yang Chen?" Aang called as we climbed this very tall mountain. Hey, just because I was a large lumbering creature who preferred a slower pace in life didn't mean I didn't know how to climb mountains. Besides, with Aang wanting all the help he could get, I couldn't possibly just hang him out to dry. I had to make sure he found Yang Chen, and got what he had to get from the air bending Avatar before I left.

Finally, a woman wearing Air Nomad robes, similar to but longer and looser than Aang's, appeared before us. "It's an honour to meet you, Aang," she greeted my friend. It was odd to see two air bending Avatars standing side-by-side, as rarely did an Avatar reach that far back into their lifetimes. But still, given what Aang was going through, this was for the best.

"It's been such an amazing experience meeting my past lives," Aang replied, "And I realized no Avatar is perfect. They all struggled and made mistakes, like me. But it made me wonder, why is the Avatar spirit a human in every life? Wouldn't it be better if the Avatar was an all-powerful spirit that that never died?" What? Were you implying that the Avatar spirit ought to be someone like me? I had enough to worry about with forests, and now you wanted more?

Luckily, Yang Chen was there to set the record straight. Claiming that the Avatar must be compassionate towards all people, the only way to do that was to live with them. "The Avatar must experience sadness, anger, joy, and happiness. By feeling all these emotions, it helps you understand how precious human life is, so you will do anything to protect it." I could see where that might come in handy, as Yang Chen herself was known to have done everything it took to defend the people of the world. It almost seemed ironic that an Air Nomad would love life so much that she would resort to force in order to protect it. Weren't they supposed to be peaceful?

I flopped down onto the ground, lying on my stomach while Yang Chen continued. "If you were an all-powerful spirit living on top of some mountain, you wouldn't have much in common with an ordinary person. So the Avatar continues to take human rebirth, and with each life, learns what it means to be human." Somehow, I could tell that was a direct reference to the Ocean and Moon Spirits, who gave up their immortality just to live among humans. Maybe that was what we spirits ought to be doing more. Instead of sitting from the safety and comfort of the Spirit World, we ought to go into the other place and interacted with humans, just to learn what they were like and how they progressed. After all, wouldn't that help us better guide their actions?

Yang Chen then finished the discussion off by telling Aang that while the Avatar spirit was alright, his physical body was not. He was still in a coma in the other place, and would take some time to heal. "And unfortunately, it seems like your ability to enter the Avatar State has also been disrupted," Yang Chen diagnosed, placing a hand on Aang's head, "You won't be able to rely on your past lives to help you. You must rely on your friends." Well, that was pretty sobering. How was Aang going to defeat the Fire Lord now?

"And when you wake up, you won't remember this journey to the Spirit World. It will be like a forgotten dream." And with that, Yang Chen's arrows glowed alongside Aang's, creating an immense amount of spiritual power before disappearing into thin air. By the time I opened my eyes again, Aang and I were alone once more. Well, what was that all about then?

Our journey down the mountain was in complete silence as I mulled over what had happened. Avatar Yang Chen was a very wise Avatar, and was respected in her time due to her dedication to the world. She once stated that the Avatar's duty to the world meant she had to sacrifice some of her personal beliefs, doing whatever it took to ensure the world was safe. I could see that being reflected in some of the other Avatars, as both Kyoshi and Roku defied their own political leaders in order to send them a message. It certainly wasn't an easy thing to do, and I could imagine Aang running into similar problems in the future, should he face the Fire Lord.

Yet at the same time, Yang Chen really sympathized with Aang, and human nature in general. Humans were flawed, and they made mistakes, but it didn't mean it was beyond saving. Life was too important to be cast aside, and by seeing the strengths and weaknesses of humans in living their lives, the Avatar could truly appreciate what it meant to live. Unlike Avatars, we spirits didn't have that luxury, due to our immortality. Maybe this was the reason why some spirits didn't appreciate life as much as humans, with Koh being the main culprit here. This was just another sobering reminder that life was sacred, and only by interacting with humans could we spirits possibly understand them. They might be misguided, and some might hang on too tightly to their ill-conceived beliefs, but overall they were capable of good.

"I'm going to have to go soon, Hei Bai," Aang whispered to me by the time we were back at the bottom of the mountain, "Even though Yang Chen said I wasn't going to remember these events, I have a feeling I may have to refer to the past Avatars in the future. If we're lucky, maybe we'll run into each other again." Hearing that, I knew it would be a hard journey back to his battered body. Who knew how much longer it would be before he was strong enough to fight? With the way he got shot in Ba Sing Se, he was lucky he was brought back at all.

I brought him back to the same platform I used to send him back last time. I really wanted to thank Aang for these wonderful experiences, as each time I learned something new about humans and the way they behaved. From now on, I would never take any of this for granted, and would do whatever I could to better understand humanity. Maybe I ought to leave the Spirit World and entered their world more, and just observed how humans changed their way in interacting with nature in general. Whatever the case, if Aang got healthier, I believed he could be a force for positive change in the future.

Rearing onto my hind legs, I shot that beam from my mouth again, and sent him back to his world. For now, he was on his own, but knowing him, he could make it through this. All the past Avatars had their hardships and all coped with them their own way. I was certain that Aang would find his way and carved out his own destiny in the world. As I left the platform, I realized how much of a difference Aang made in my life, and what I could do to give back. Sometimes, even spirits should change their ways, and did their part to make the world a better place.

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A group of young people gathered in this park before me, all dressed in strange costumes but generally in a great mood. It had been centuries since Avatar Aang put the world back together, and there seemed to be a prolonged peace in our time. While there were still political and other disagreements here and there, humans were less likely to settle their conflicts via force. And in most developed parts of the world, a sense of environmental stewardship came into play, with this city being an example. Who would have thought that even after industrialization, with motorized vehicles replacing animal-drawn ones, that there would be a park in the middle of the city? It was truly amazing how much progress had been made.

And today, in this park, plenty of people were enjoying their time. There seemed to be some type of festival going on here, and the hosts of the party did everything they could to make sure the visitors were having a blast. I didn't want to disturb their fun, so I just stayed invisible and in the woods, watching this group as their host led them around. The host of the group was a teenager calling herself Sabaku, dressed in a rather interesting suit. She had a white shirt, black tie, and jeans, almost like she was wearing a school uniform. I heard she was supposed to be this character from a television show, another new phenomenon that occurred after industrialization. Personally, I didn't care for this type of technology, given I wouldn't have access to it in the Spirit World. But still, seeing this group have so much fun and using nature in a responsible way, this was what I truly hoped for after meeting Aang.

And as their activities continued, I thought about all the things that occurred, and what it truly meant to be human. As I found out from the past, humans were flawed creatures, but were still capable of good. It was in the hands of the people of today and tomorrow that the world would be a better place. While humans had the abilities to destroy the world, they also had the abilities to make everything around them better off. Their imperfection was what drove this balance, but as long as the spirits were watchful and caring, destruction would never triumph over peace.

I also recalled Fire Lord Zuko, the man who took over the throne in the Fire Nation after Aang finished the war, promised his people an era of love, peace, and hope. And today, even though there were still conflicts, it was an inspiration that kept people's hopes and dreams alive. Like all humans, the Fire Lord was a mortal, and had to leave this world after his time. But for everyone else, they were still able to hang on to that, and tried to solve their differences in more peaceful ways. And as an immortal spirit watching over everyone, that was also my role, to help humans get on the right path without interfering or regulating their lives. As I continued to watch this party unfold in the park, I thought of one thing only...

My name is Hei Bai. That was my story. Those were my rites of passage.


End file.
